


The Deage Au

by LittleStarChild



Category: Trolls (Movies 2016 2020)
Genre: Action, Adventure & Romance, Angst, Awkward Crush, Deage, F/F, F/M, Lost Childhood, M/M, Major Self Harm, Minor Self Harm, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Swearing, Truma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:14:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 58,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27508183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleStarChild/pseuds/LittleStarChild
Summary: Full summary inside. Read if you want to.
Relationships: Branch/Hickory/Queen Poppy (Trolls), Milton Moss/Smidge, Queen Essence/King Quincy (Trolls)
Comments: 45
Kudos: 45





	1. Summary

**Author's Note:**

> I'll let you all know, am new to makeing storys, so give me some slack to this story. I'm also struggeling with getting this au of mine in gear with the fact I still don't have the basic of it finish yet.
> 
> That said, your free to commet or throw ideas in if you want, I love to know you'all think.
> 
> Am also looking for help in getting songs for this story so go ahead if you have any in mind, write them down as well
> 
> First real chapter will hopefully come withing the next days. Thank you for your kindness, patient and any help your willing to give me

*Poppy and Hickory looks on in horror as the strange powder like smoke settels down where their boyfriend/crush was standing before. Only instead of the normal Branch that they know, sits a small grey trolling no older than 6 with big watery eyes looking at them terrified. In a scream the trolling says while backing himself in a corner “ STAY AWAY FROM ME YOU MONSTERS!!” Poppy and Hickory slowly blink than look at each other, in a small calm steady of way, yet one can hear the horror fills her voice, Poppy says “ What have we done!?!”

When Poppy go’s in the deeper parts of the forest with Hickory and Dickory there to help to get some herbs and moss that Branch is unable to get himself do to haveing other duties to do, the three of them stumbols unpond a strange flower that neither of them has seen before. Takeing the flower with them in a jar to see if anyone knows of this plant, both Poppy and Hickory manged to somehow actived the flowers strange magic like powers on Branch, deageing the troll to a 6 year old with almost no memories of his older life and even fewer of his younger once. Come on this story that follows strange tales of the Silent Era, with heart breaks and healing souls, where danger and mistrust lurcks just behinde the shadows and old and new friends learn how to hopefully help a dear friend to heal from gulit and shame that still lingers in his poor heart.


	2. good days gone bad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heres the first chapter folks hope you'all enjoy. And please, if you see any spelling errors, point them out for me. English is not my mother tongue and I seems to be at war with both my translater and my dictionary. Those that have read my first chapter on tumblr are in for a treat, since this first chapter is the much improved verson.
> 
> * for thought  
> " for speak  
> BIG words means either shouting or screaming  
> ~ means change of pov

Poppy looks out of one of her windows that she got installed barely 3 weeks ago, its soft rain that gos pit patter on them tonight and normaly she would hum to the soft sound but she can’t find the strengt nor heart to do it. Her mind is filled with worry and guilt over the small body thats currently sleeping in a small borrowed bed that Smidge had been so kind to give her. * What am I do to now?* the words keeps runing around her head as she hears a small whimper coming from the bed. She truns around to look at them and walks over with soft steps and just stops at bedside, the little thing looks like they are not haveing the best of dreams. She could not blame them, she bet shes having them tonight as well once she finally finds sleep herself.

She slowly stroke the little things face, tears silent runing out of both closed eyes. One out of lost another out worry the next out of fear. A small boyish voice filled with sadness and longing asking for the one person thats never going to be able to anwser back " Grandma, where are you?" It breaks her heart just hearing it.

"Oh Branch, I’m so so sorry. I should’t have brought that stupid flower to the bunker, we should’t have." she says as she looks at her boyfriend, now in a body of a 6 year old, his skin grey as dark ash, hair black as coal and a fearfull frown onpond his little sleeping face that hides his dimed baby blue eyes. It still amazed her how bad everything had gotten just within 5 days, and it all started when he asked her a favor of just getting some stuff from the deep forest. How she just wish she’d could stop her past self from taking that damn flower or just give it to the herbalist before she and Hickory went to visit him. Maybe then neither of them wouldn’t feel so bad like they do now.

"I’m so so sorry, sweetie. I’m so sorry" she keeps saying, tears anew starts run out her eyes again, while her mind drifts back 5 days ago, where it all started.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So let me see if I get this right?" Hickory begins while he helps his brother over a giant fallen half-rotten log with a rope around him and Dickory, while said brother is cursing up and down and to the high heavens for gifting him with this damn body and how he wish he’d have moveing hair like the pops have. It would sure make this a lot faster! Poppy stops to look at the bounty hunter, the half open basked strapped on her and one on each bounty hunters backs moveing a little showing herbs, barks, moss, flowers and berries, a small smile froming on her face when Hickory nearly let loose the rope thats currently the only thing thats keeping his brother from falling several feet down again. The small yodleller jus look at the other one with a glare. Dareing his little brother loose his grip again on the rope, or else theres going to be hell to pay.

"Branch is missing or gone out of several herbs and a type of moss thats used for a variety of diffrent meds and skin tonics? And he ask you to get them for him while he fixses something down in the bunker thats gone badly out of whack?" For the past 2-3 months, Hickory and Dickory has been residents of said bunker while they are here helping the pop trolls build up their villiage again. Its part of the deal they have with Delta on the amount of charity works they need to get done with the country trolls and for what they did to Poppy and Branch. First they had to help fixing some the homes and buildings back in Lonesome Flats, before they were sent to what remaind of the Pop villiage to help fix things there as well. Though to be honest, untill more of the trees and plants recover some more, theres little they can fix. Many a troll are still living in the undergrund bunker the resident grump live and build up, till some of their home trees are ready to take them in again. Though said grump was getting a little antsy with all the other trolls hyper-go-lucky energy. And endless will to party hard and as loud as possible.

Both he and Dickory had been very supriesed and shocked on how one troll had build something this lagre by the age of 15, get it so well stocked and maintain all alone for well over a decade. It was not for nothing that the other pop trolls called him the most prepared troll of the Pop villiage. *Though to be honest, we should have figured that out with how he was so prepared for just about everything on the journey* Hickory thought while putting the rope in his basket, Dickory finally on safe ground. He’s very sure that if they meet another log like that again, his big bro is just gonna swallow his pride and ask the queen for a ride over instead. It was getting very tiring getting past these forsaken logs for the both of them.

"Yep" the queen say, the ‘p’ poping as she said it." The Ruby moss is the most improtent one along with the Silver Drop Rose. They are used for some very serious bruns tonics and blood loss meds that I think even the funk trolls have never seen. Branch said that even if we only get a few of each of them, it still be enough to treat several dozen patients, but it would really help him and the doctors to have a bundle or two of each instead. They only bloom for the brief period between these 2 weeks. The rainstrom season is coming soon and they are going to be washed away soon when the first storm hits. Oooh look some more Dede berries! Miss Flourens going to be so happy that we gotten some of them, they hard to find this time of the year. Now she wont have to worry so much about the flu season" The berries looks nice where they are hanging from their bush, a rich maroon colour with what looks like a golden stripe going around the oval shaped fruit. Poppy takes out a few small clay jars to store them in from her basket. She notes that she’s running out of room to store things. She take out a book from the basket she’d taken with her in her hair, incase she found any other herbs she’s not sure about. One of the many useful gifts Branch have given her the past 2 years.

"So why did you take us with you girly? You know how that boy of yours don’t like us very much" Dickory asked, it was a bit of a understatment, Branch had been rageing mad at them when he found out the their lie and trick. Had it not been for the fact that Poppy's other friends was holding him down, Dickory is very sure he and his bro would not be walking at all. Its a bit better now, but non of the yodeller brothers wants to overstep themself the frail peace they have right now. Though he still wounders what the less colour full troll meant with " This is just like what happened almost 2 years ago Poppy! How the hell are we sure that these two are not like him?!". He did not like the sound of it, not at all. Whoever Branch was talking about sounded like they were a criminal of some sort that have yet to get their proper punishment. It left a bad taste in his mount to be honest.

"Mostly to give you guys some breathing room really." Dickory gets back, the Queen is still getting some of the last berries in the jar befor she puts it beside the other jars filled with the berries. Then once all the jars are sealed tight, she gives them to him for storage in his basket. "Also, I know for a fact that since your both bounty hunters you guys are the better choice to take on this little trip when it comes to protection. Which I know mister grumpy is not going argue against, beside I’d rather take you guys over the other one thats avaialble." * The less said about Creek the better off I am* Poppy thinks, not wanting to take that guru on this trip today, lately the purple troll was trying to get them alone very often and that scared her. She and Creek have been for the past few months well befor Barb came with her world of rock dream and trying to destory everyones music, on a tense and tight roped war like state of sort. Poppy has been mostly avoiding the guru here and there when the guru has seek her out with a little more friendliness than she like, though Creek seem to know not to disturb her on her dutys as Queen, she have had to yeet the guru away a few times whenever he gets a bit too bold. Dispite the fact that she had forgiven Creek somewhat, her heart just can't stand being to close to that purple troll for long. The hurt and pain stills feels all too freash from the day he betrayed her.

The three continue their journey, stoping every now and then for a breather or a brief lunch, when they come to a area that has the herbs they are looking for. Its not easy to get to them though. The roses blooms on a small cliff thats very close to a river that has some very sharp stones jutting out and the moss prefer to be on the ceilings in a cave that is home some nasty creeps and crawls that no sane troll would want crawling in their pants. However, when they took a break near a tree, they a get a glimps something that seems to shimer in the light behinde another tree and some bushes a little father ahead of them. The light was certainly interesting, a white like shimer that seem to dance in the slight wind that was going. However, Hickory and Dickory is not sure if it is safe to go there, but Poppy is insistent that they at least check it out.

They come onpond a small clearing with a pond near the middle of it, small and midium rocks scattered around it with some cattails spread sparse around in the water, a single flower blooming from the north side of the pond, slightly hiden between some of the cattails, is given out the light. Its white as snow that shimer in the sun light, with what looks like golden, amethyst and royal coalbolt blue bands around the base of the pastals forming a lovely small pattern of rings together. Its shaped like a tulip, if a tulip had slightly longer pastals, curly torns and its blades and stalk have fluffy hair on it. They can smell a faint hint of sweet yet lightly bitter smell coming for it thats surprisingly pleasant to smell.

"Now what in blues hell is this? Poppy do you know what this flower is?" Hickory ask as he looks at the plant. Its very beautiful to look at and would make a wounderfull gift to a loved one, but dose not go near it. Neither he nor Dickory knew if it was safe to go anywere near it. No doubt that something had to be wrong if that flower was the only thing to bloom in that pond beside the cattails. And as beautiful as the flower is, one that he would not mind give to two certian trolls as a gift, he rather not risk it right now, he'd learned the hard way within the first month in this forest, looks here are more deceiving than someone switching the suger with salt for your tea. He dose not get a anwser for a while, the Queen busy with her herb book to see what they have stumblot onpond.

"Thats very strange. Its not in the book." the pink troll say with a mumble. It strieks a bit of fear in her, knowing that the book she had on her was one Branch himself have made for her with all the herds he knows of ,as well dose from other herb books as well. That it those not show up at all in the book rings bells in her head that something is not right. She looks at the two and ask " Are there any sticks or stones nearby that we can throw? We need to check that its not a pond lucker. Those things are rightout nasty to deal with and I rather like to keep my arms or legs intact." A shiver go's down her spine when she think what happened to the last party group that went out to gather stuff from the deepest part of the forest. From a 35 group to only 14 coming back, almost half of them missing limbs thanks only to dose things. Was it not for that 5 of them had realy good aim to hit those things hard with any large stone, rocks or very thick branches thats fallen off, more would have been lost.

"I think a saw some over there by the river. Gimme a min" Dickory say as he runs there to get some. When he comes back the three of them each choice a spot to hit, but noting happens. They to it a few more times, hitting diffrent places just to be sure but is just a normal pond. Relief settels in a bit, but they move slowly near the flower. Once they are near enough, Poppy takes a few minutes to look at it, than take out a pair of gloves, a sturdy looking glass jar and a small spade.

"Don’t tell me your gonna take that flower with you?!" Dickory almost shouts. "It can’t be safe if it is the only thing that living in this damn pond!"

"I have to. This area is the closest to the villiage when it comes to get these types of herbs. The others can take weeks to go to and fro. Finding a plant that we know nothing about so close here, I have to take this to our herbalists to find out what it is. For all we know it might do more harm than good to this area." Poppy anwser back, most of her focus on the plant, not knowing how true her words would become.

Once she got it in the jar, she looks at them and says "Its best we go now. We don’t need to be here any longer and I rather get this thing to Mrs Delmor as quick as possible." the hunters agree with both of them tur-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"WAAAAAA!!!!" a scream comes out of Branch traped yet again in another nightmare that he can’t wake up from, sending Poppy out of her thoughts and the chair that she'd somehow manged to find and sitt on, like a rocket crash and running to him. She hugs him while the trolling continue to scream his heart out, his fear clear as day, small fists hitting her chest every now and then. His not stoping and his sob aren’t getting better either. Shouts of "NO! DON'T TAKE HER" " GRANDMA COME BACK!" "DON'T LEAVE ME!" "I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY" comes running soon enough out of Branch mouth. Tears and snot running down and smear on her nightgown. A slight thought of * Looks like I got more laundry to do soon* comes to her mind, but its quickly gone as she fouced on her boyfriend.

*My poor poor Branch. Why do you have to suffer more of this?* rings in her head, well aware that her boyfriend haven’t had this kind of nightmare in a long time. It seems fate still wanted to give the troll some more grief. All she can do now is hold him tight, whisper sweet nothings and patt his back. Hopeing that it will help him in some regards to whatever hell seems to have spawned from his nightmare. It takes a while, but slowly but surely, Branch began to calm down, and slowly Poppy sings whatever her tried mind can come up with right now not careing if they fit with the song whats so ever.

Sweet baby mine don’t cry  
The moons here to sing you a lullaby  
And am here to sing with stars  
With the clouds who makes your bed

Sweet baby mine don’t cry

We are all here to make you smile  
And take you back to land  
Where dreams are sweet  
Fun and loveing  
Safe and warm

Sweet baby mine don't cry

Please let me see you shine  
Like the sun thats waiting in your dreams  
I'll be right her in your sleep  
Waiting for the fun to begin

She continues to sing as Branch slowly starts falling to a peacefull slumber, but Poppy know its not over yet. She lays him back to bed makeing sure not to wake him. Once she sure his going to sleep a bit more she drags herself to her own bed try to get some rest before Branch wakes with another scream. She looks briefly at one of the windows, a certian troll comes to her tired mind. * I hope Hickory is doing alright. He'd looked like not only that he saw a ghost but got run over by a stage beetle with what happened to Branch* And then another hits her * I hope Suki manged to get to Bridget and Gristle safely. I hope those two would not take the news too bad." Sadness fills her a bit at that. Both royal Bergens had been excited to meet the new trolls and their leaders. They have already been introduced to Cooper's brother Prince D, by accident, who had come 2 weeks ahead of time to see his twin and to give a helping hand with the monthly meeting with the other leaders ready. The poor Funk prince had almost fainted when meeting the King and Queen of the Bergens, but he warmed a bit up to them as time went on. Both D and Gristle had ended up coming in a debate about skateboards and hoverboards as well how annoying certian dutys as rulers was on some days. Bridget had gifted the D some homemade cookies and blueberry jam that she'd made the day before she and her husband had gone for a visit to see how everyone was doing, all troll sized of course, it would not do well for him to see the treats thats half or more than twice his own hight on their first meeting. D had thanked her, also comment on how he loved her new hair colours, saying that the new blues, golds and greens makes her eyes shine brighter. In kind Bridget said how she liked his golden tinsels, and asked if he knew where she could get some for Gristle or herself. All in all a good intoduction had happend, and she could not wait to let the others meet her gaint friends. Once she'd and Branch had gotten them ready that is.

The thought of the coming meeting in a few days sent a unpleasant shiver through her body. As she lay on her bed, she knew that not only is she and Hickory going to have a hard time explain what happened to Branch, but the story of the Pop trolls and The Bergens most come to light a lot sooner than she'd liked. And what damage it has done not only to Branch, but every single Pop troll that lives here, even the once that did not live through that horrid time. A task she'd liked for Branch and the rest of the Snack Pack to help her with. Now though, with Branch being what he was now, she and her friends was not sure how to go about it. Before this, they had made some plans, plans that Branch had help them somewhat refine and kickout some of the more troublesome parts with ease that would have made the talk a lot harder or awkward to deal with. All of them had agreed though to wait till the first year was over to tell the other leaders though, since they are sure telling them now would only complicate all the other matters worse. The other tribes, both main and sub alike, have somewhat forgiven the Pop trolls alike for what their ancestors had done before the Separation of the Strings, theres still hard feelings left that Poppy has to work through, non though was mad at her for destroying the Strings, it was either that or become Rock Zombies. The same can be, in a wired way, said for Barb as well. The Queen of Rock was having a very hard time herself. She'd almost succeed at getting her dream come true, zombiefide almost all the other music leaders, leaving destruction on their homes for the dare of trying to defend themself and all the other stuff she did. It have left more than just hard feelings and a few cracks. Some of the leaders still can't help but feel some fear or anger when they have to talk to her or be near her, but Bard showed no hard feelings of it if it hurt her.

Poppy sighs, she really should not think about it tonight. Sleep was precious right now, it would not do her any good missing what little sleep she can get right now. She'll think more on it in the morrow. Taking one last look on Branch just to be sure thats he's fine, she blacks out the second she lays her head on the pillow. No more thoughts comes to her that night nor did Branch wake her up for the rest of the night either. His nightmare seems to a break for now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hickory woke up before his alarm clock again. * Been doing that a lot lately* comes true his sleepy mind while stretching his arms, a yawn comes out as he moves his body out of the bed in one of the many guest rooms in the bunker. A cozy little place it was. Nice warm amber fall coloured walls with a cozy warm dark brown coloured bed tucked into a corner with its right hugging the wall, three small rugs of a light blue colour with white clouds on them reminds him of the sky was laid out on the floor, one on the left side the bed and the little night table with a firefly night lamp on it as well as his alarm clock, another in the middle of the room, the last one was under the chair and desk that had a bookcase on it right and a lamp on its left. A chest, in the same colour as the bed, was on the front end of the bed holding some of his more valuable stuff, the hard steel lock holding it safe and sound from any robber to be. A little more futher ahead on the right wall was two sets chest high dress drawers holding his clothes. Two doors was in the room. One a dark green led to the small working bathroom that only had a sink, mirror and toilet, the other one a nice dark red led out to the hallways of the bunker.

* Better get dressed and begin makeing breakfeast. Also get the coffee strated as well. Big bro is gonna be a lot more grouchy if he dose not get his daily 3 to 5 cups of it before the day starts. How he still not running the walls and roof yet is still a mystery to me* rings through his head as Hickory gets dressed. His useing his country outfit today, knowing that his brother wont mind much after 5 months of the new normal. It still comes as a surprised that Dickory seem to have know that his little brother felt he was missing something in him, which as it turns out, was that he was both a yodleller and a country troll. Neither he nor their big sister Dock, who was so happy to see both of her lil'bros alive and healthy had been mad at him when they found out. He was still their brother. A small smile comes to his face, knowing that she and the other yodlellers where safe and sound in their new home. Barb had kept her end of the deal well, with what Poppy had showed her about harmony but also seeing the Pop Queens, Branch and their other Pop friends reaction when they found out in horrer that Yodleller trolls did not have a place to call home, it was better that she'd held her end of the bargain for both her's and the yodlellers sakes. *All that hard work worked out, still it dose not help the feeling of guilt and shame I feel* his smile turns to a frown when his brain reminds him of that part.

"Sigh, thats a way to ruin my mood quick. Breakfeast first, then trying to figure out how the fix this forsaken situation. Again." With little hope his brain is gonna follow that as he checks himself in the mirror. Dark rings around his green eyes greets him, showing what he already knows of the lack of sleep he'd had the past few nights. Letting out another sigh, he gets cleaned up and walk out of the room and into the hallway. Walking down to get to the kitchen his mind on other matters, he ends up bumbing into a familiar small yellow and teal haired troll, one that he and Dickory have had the plasent of meeting on a nice sunny day seeing her lift a giant dumbbell with her hair and her unique deep voice that either gos in bass or baritone when she sings. Dickory and Smidge seem to have hit it right off. The two of them going on strength contests almost once every week, fridays or saturdays, when they had the free time. Hickory tried not get in the way of the woman though, shes one of the few trolls thats scare the living hell out of him in this village, something that he has to prove to the other bounty hunters when they did not believe him on that fact. Nothing like asking the troll herslef if she could show them how she gets the Stoutberry juice.

"Well look who we have here. Morning to you too Hickory." Smidge says, startling the troll out of his thoughts and makes him jump a little that stops him from crashing into her. Grumbling at little he says " Good morning Smidge. Did not see you there."

"Yeah I saw that. A penny for your thoughts? You seems quite out of it."

"Oh you know the usual. Well at least the usual thats been for almost a week now."

A slight twitch form the small troll was all that betrayed her reaction to those words " Ah, you know that no one in the village blames ya and Poppy for what happened whats so ever? Dickory has told you that right?"

"Yeah, dose help a little, but still. Your going to visit Poppy by any chance?"

"You got that right. Me, Milton, Cooper, Prince D and Biggie need go check on her and Branch. And hopefully trying to get her to sleep a bit more." She grumbles a bit. Both knowing full well that ever since Branch transformation, the little grey troll been plagued by horrid nightmares. And with Poppy being the one of the few trolls that seems to be able to calm him down from them as well as trust, despite, form what the doctors can tell, having lost almost all of his memories, shes become his main caretaker. However this has led to the pink troll to get very little sleep thanks to the fact that Branch seems to get them everytime he falls asleep. And a sleep deprived Pop Queen was not something either of them want to face again.

"Well I'll come by then, once me and Dick have had some breakfeast. Can't really be of much help with a empty stomach." He smiles a little.

"See you then." Smidge says back as she walks to get to the elevator. Hickory waves her goodbye with a see you later, then continue down the hall, takeing a right when he comes to a branch off to three diffrent places. Walking a little futher ahead, the kitchen door comes up and once his there he get it going with breakfeast. Very glad that Branch had been smart to gather a lot of diffrent ingredients that dose not have a ton of suger in it as well as some more types of meat. The thought of the suger crash/shock that he, Dick, the other hunters as well as the leaders of the other troll tribes had when they were all invited to one of the many many holidays that the Pop trolls have makes his stomach turn sideways in pain and his heart almost stops at the mere thought. Yeah, after that Hickory and Dickory been very careful with what they eat here at the village. About half an hour later Dickory showed up, groggy as can be the only reason he has not yet fallen alseep on the floor yet was thanks to the fact that he could smell the freshly made coffee that was just waiting for him.

"Morning" comes from a half asleep Dickory, his voice ckracks a bit. " Whats for foood?" Comes soon after Hickory gives him a big mug of the steaming bitter brew, taking a few sips as he listen in. " Eh nothing to fancy, just some good ol' hearty bacon, eggs and beans. With some nice baked bread with butter, a salad and the coffee."

"Sound like heaven" Dickory says as he drags himself to a chair thats made for people his size that he could easely use to get himself to reach kitchen table without needing a pillow or three to sit on. Dickory had at first thought the chair was there to mock him and Smidge for their lack of hight, but he had learned quickly that he and Smidge was not the only trolls around that needed these type of chairs. They where also a new addition to the bunker that Branch has made all by himslef thats become very popular with a lot of trolls that could use them. Very comfy as well.

"Any plans you have for today? Beside the usual work on some of the more solid buildings around here?" Dickory asked as they eat, it had surpriesed both of them how many buildings in the Pop village was made either from their own hair, plants or fungus. The few buildings that was not made of said materials was the gaint stadium, a few cafes and storage houses thats well hidden, a metal factory/blacksmith and a, very strange for the both of them, fun dungeon.

"Yeah, I'm going to go visit Poppy and Branch, to see how they are doing once am finished breakfeast. Smidge and her friends going there as well to check on them."

"Then I'll come as well. They might need a extra pair of arms to help. That pink girl can quite stronge when angred."

"Fine with me."

After a good breakfeast and cleaning up, they walk to the elevator with a bit of small talk about everything and nothing as the elevator went up. Walking out of the bunker was always a little strange for them, seeing the well hidden door disappear like it was the most natrual way was in more ways then not wired, they continue to walk to the village. However, as soon as they enter a mighty crash along with shouts of "NO BRANCH! DON'T DO THAT!" "PUT ME DOWN!" LOOK OUT!!" "DARNELL TO YOUR LEFT!" could be heard from somewere to their left up a tree not far from them.

Taking off like life dependent on it, the brothers run like mad. Praying that nothing too bad is happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of the first chapter folks. See you'all next week.


	3. good days gone bad part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well looks like a the new chapter came faster than I thought, though I'll be honest, my updates for this story is going to be pretty damn random. You'll all been warned. Also I've have no idea how long the chapters are going to be. So please don't be mad if they feel too sort or too long.
> 
> Now I need some help here. I'm looking for some songs that am going to need for chapters three and a few other that I have planed head of time. I wont be able to finish any of them untill I find some that works. One of them are for Darnell whos going to cheer up our little grump in chapter three, spoilers I know, but I've been driven mad at this point by trying for almost three months finding one. Am desprated at this point. Another for Dawn to teach Brab something, and a duet for Quincy and Essence. Also, dose anyone have any dad jokes or puns? I can't seem to come up with any.  
> Just to let you all know, am going use a lot of the names Prince D and Darnell.
> 
> Any advise on how I can make words either go to the thick black kind or rigth sided thin kind? I can't figure it out.
> 
> As all ways enjoy.
> 
> * for thoughts  
> " for speak  
> BIG words means shouting or screaming  
> ~means change of pov

In Darnell's opinon, the warning could't have come sooner as he dive down to a branch under him, as a rather large bench comes flying through were he was standing only seconds before. Landing on it with a slight wince of pain in one of his legs, he looks up to the utter chaos thats currently going on some meters away from were he stands, on the branch above him. Were the current trolling Branch should have been, was a massive black mass of hair thats aggressively lashing out in multiple directions, one of them is holding onto one of Milton's arms in a strong grip thats seem to hurt the adult a bit, but he dosen't seem to mind much as he keeps himself and CJ Suki away for some of the other black thick and fast moving hair lashes with his own hair. The only reason he and the poor girl is not draged away is thanks to a part of his own hair is gripping part of a branch above in a death grip while CJ is clinging with both her arms and legs on the vet's chest and neck like a very stubborn sloth. Fear clear to see on her face. Smidge is currently fighting off several hair lashes herself, while trying not to hurt Branch when one of her own comes near the trolling to try to stop him, but the kid jumps out of the way at the last second or one of his own hair snaps at her own. Biggie is trying to free Cooper from a mass of hair thats trapt him between two water towers. His twin is trying not to be grabbed by the hair thats not gripping or holding on to the beams of the towers, but it looks like he's at war with his own feet in the small space that he's in. Small cursing are coming out of him whenever he trips, but he quickly scrambles to right himself up again before he lands face first in the grund.

Meanwhile Guy Diamond, with Tiny safely in his dads hair, is jumping, dodging and swinging out of the way. Farting a glitter cloud to avoid some of the hair thats coming a bit to quick for him when he swings away for extra speed. * This is insane* The Funk Prince thinks as he runs to another branch to get back up again, knowing full well his running into danger. He's not very sure how this happened, but his betting his own jewelry that the purple troll thats also dodging and swinging away from the angry hair that seem to be way more aggressive at the purple troll than the others, was the cause of this mess. The said troll, Creek if he remembers the name right, dose not seem that worried of his own wellbeing, humming along as he jumps away form a timber beam thrown his way. A slight smile on his face, one that makes Darnell think if snakes could smile that would be the smile needed, going tsk tsk and shaking his head.

"Come on now little Branch, your better than that. No need to be so mad." Creek says as if he was scolding the trolling for bad behavior. Shaking a finger out while he's other hand is on his hip.

"SHUT UP YOU PIPEHEADED JERK!" screams Branch from were his standing, part of his hair coiling up for another round of fast lashes and whips, while a few other throws more construction stuff at the troll, but some are thrown in the wrong direction, forcing the others to dodge futher away from the chaos to avoid getting crushed. With Biggie, Cooper and Guy having a harder time while Smidge manged to stop any of it from hitting her, Milton and CJ. Branch however dose not seem to realize that fact, rahter it seem to Darnell that the trolling is not fully in control of either himself or his hair. Which scare him, since he can see that if they don't somehow stop the kid soon, someone is gonna get seriously hurt and he's very sure those tower beams are beginning to crack.

" Now now now Branch, a little truth dose not hu-" Creek gets cut off by a tiny lime and red coloured blurr that crash into him that sends the both of them flying a bit away from several hair whips. The two trolls landing behind a brick wall that takes a full hit of raging black mass of snapping hair seconds later. Sending some of said bricks flying in all directions. "Wha" comes out of the dazed purple troll before Dickory quickly drags him away in a mad sprint.

Darnell dose not know were they took off to, as he sidestep away from some of the flying bricks coming his way, he notes, absentmindedly, that his bro is free. Biggie have gotten help from Hickory to get Cooper out of there, now the three are trying to keep some of the hair at bay by holding it down. Biggie useing his own hair and body whight to hold it down, while Cooper and Hickory are useing a lasso, trying to either coral or drag another chunk of hair away.

"Branch you have to calm down! Please, your gonna hurt yourself at this rate!" Bigge says, one can hear the worry in his voice for his friend, but wether or not Branch heard him was hard to say. The trolling is clearly lost in his anger, but Darnell can see a lot of hurt in the poor guy's dimed blue baby eyes, tears on the brinks to start running soon. Despite the fear the prince feel from Branch, he can't help but feel sad for him. Clearly whatever have happended has done something to really hurt as well as piss off the trolling bad enough that he can't seem to hear or see other people around him, except for one troll. Creek, whos gotten separated from Dickory and is useing his hair as a shield says the following words without clear thought to it " It's not like you even deserve to be even alive you know. I mean, a murder is a murder."

That stops everyone in their tracks, sheeting anger rolling of every troll that heard it. Darnell is glaring white hot daggers at the guru, hot anger and disbelief clear as daylight on his face. Both Hickory and Dickory have this look of murder on their face, with Hickory's green eyes promising a slow death if he ever gets his hands on the troll for saying that. Smidge, Milton, CJ, Biggie, Cooper, Guy and Tiny Diamond all have this look on their face that Darnell finds hard to describe. Creek's just smiling at Branch, who has stopped moving all togheter. Eyes wide with a arranged mixed of feelings going through him. Face blank as a unused paper. Theres a calm for a minute or two, than all hell breaks loose. Branch hair suddenly explode like crazy as he screams on top of his lungs, letting go of Milton's arm fast, a snapping sound of said arm being broken or out of socket as well as the scream coming out of the vet. Smidge gets thrown hard to the side, while Biggie, Cooper and Hickory are thrown in the air, though Biggie is fast enough to catch his friends in his arms and a branch with his hair to save them from a very hard and unforgiven ground down below the tree. Dickory scrambels to not get hit by a very big and fast hair whip coming right his way, a quick save from Guy the only thing that stops Dickory from becomeing a troll sized pancake. The hair thats holding on to the two water towers beams are lifting the entire thang things, beams and all, up fast and furious. And then thrown in Creek's direction at some of the most horrified speed Darnell has ever seen, and then theres first true fear on Creek's face that the Funk prince have seen since the guy showed up. He barely manged to dodge the towers and get away form a dozen lashes to land safely on another branch a little high up, but before he gets to say a thing, a very familiar pink hair graps his neck in a chock hold and drags him fast enough that Darnell is surprised the guru's neck isn't snapped, to face a very very very pissed off queen. But before Poppy gets to say a word to the guru or Branch, a eldery woman's voice thats filled with concern and worry can be heard.

"Branch Timbelake Jr! Stop this right now! Please sweetpea, just stop!" Darnell truns to look at a eldery woman, with dark leaf green skin tone and dark gloden hair with some glitter and a few white stripes in it thats in a simple pony tail, dressed in a simple brown jacket, white shirt and brown field trousers. Wrinkles of age clear to see under her ruby red eyes thats filled with worry and fear. The rest of her face mirror that of her eyes show the same thing. On her back is a small worn out light blue bag with some patches on it. If Darnell had to guess her age, he would put her somewere between Peppy's age or a little older. Her voice seem to do the trick, as Branch and his hair all but stops dead in their tracks. Slowly Branch turns his body around, big fat tears running down his face and starts to run even faster when he sees her.

"A-a-a-aunt Elma?" comes out in a small unsure heartbroken voice from Branch. His hair slowly starting to go back to normal, all visible anger and fury gone into thin air.

"I'am here sweetpea I'am here" the woman says, running to him as fast as she can. As soon has she reach him, she on her knees and scoops him up in her arms, holding him close to her chest and heart. Her own hair coiling around Branch's own like a golden blanket. Only sweet words and whispers are the only think thats comes out of her as Branch starts to shake and crying his heart out.

A moment later, a small rustle coming from some leafs behind Poppy shows Peppy coming out, holding in his hair a small slight beaten box. A look of saddness and heartbroke on his old face as he sees what all the noise is.

There's once again silent, with only Branch crying and Elma's soft kind whispers and words being the only sound being made. Than it dissappear when Poppy speak. Her voice cold as ice and barely suppressed wrath as she says " Can SOMEONE tell me what the fucking hell is going on here?!?"

One thing for sure, Darnell's thinks. This day is just getting either worst or getting more interesting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Guy is watching his childhood friend in fear and worry. Poppy is not looking great at all. Her eyes are full of black rings, showing the lack of sleep that she'd had for this week, hair frazzled, unkempt and wild, along with the rest of her. Her face is filled barely restrained wrath, fear, and a tiredness that he have only seen three times before. None of those times have been good either. He can feel his son hides deeper in his hair, scared of his honor aunt, as he have never seen her like this before. "Daddy?" comes out and Guy immediately curl several sections of his hair around his kid. Making a soft cocoon around Tiny that the trolling is happy to be in. CJ is hideing under Cooper, whos gone into a awkwared crouch to give the poor girl some comfort. Smidge is currently checking Milton's arm that from the sounds that the vet was making, was either broken or out of socket. Not caring how beaten she herself is. Hickory is holding the poor sood up while his brother and Prince D is keeping an eye on Creek. Both big brothers glaring some of the most pointed daggers Guy's ever seen on the guru. Whos turing a slight blue colour, untill Poppy notices it and ease up her chock hold a bit, though its clear that she's not letting him go just yet.

This was not what he hoped for the day to start when he thought to visit Poppy and Branch today. Taking his son as well as DJ Suki's niece with him to hopefully get Branch some playmates as well as work as a distraction for the poor trollings paranoia and nightmares his been having. Both of the children had been happy to come along, wanting to play with their now deaged honor uncle. Both CJ and Tiny have been talking none stop about what they were going to play with Branch, when they bumbed into Smidge, Milton, Biggie, Cooper and Prince D who was keeping Branch company. With Poppy being no were to see. A half finish park behind them is were they had stopped at.

They been suprsied to see them, but it had been a welcoming suprised. CJ and Tiny had immediately run to Branch, who was colouring in a book filled with a bunch of creatures and critters found in mountians near were the Classical trolls lives minding he's own business. Guy remembered that Poppy had gotten a, what Brab and her Rock friends had called, 'truck load' of many different colouring books from all the other tribes, to give to her class so they could have fun with learning about the other trolls and creatures that exsist in the world. The kids had been utterly trilled at the books, often talking and looking in aw at the pictures that was just waiting to be coloured. Tiny and CJ was always telling him and Suki how they could not wait for their next book to colour and how fun it was when Branch would use his surprisedly fun shadow play to make said pictures come alive while Poppy told them of said creatures. Branch jumped a bit from fright when in his mind they came out of no were, but once he saw them he'd smile. The three of them start talking nonstop like all children do, with Tiny running to his dad soon enough asking for the ball that in his hair. Guy had been happy to give his son the ball and watch as the kids began to play catch with it.

Seeing the three of them having fun like this makes them all happy, but with the exception of Prince D, it also made everyone else sad at the same time. For the almost past 2 years, the Snack Pack had gotten to know Branch better, with its own humps, bumps and everything else between. One of the saddest things they've learn about their grumpy friend is that he did not have much of a happy childhood, with him being grey, sceared, guilt ridden and very very much angry with the world, pretty much every trolling, with Poppy being the exception on this field, did not want to be anyway near him or have anything to do with him. The only interaction Branch would have with trollings his age, older and younger alike, would be for the most part avoidness and fear, with the occasionally bully here and there. Though non seem to have done any physical harm, the mental once non the less did a lot more damage than any bleeding wound did. It had not helped much that only a hand full of the adults at the time was on the young Branch side turing that time. All the other once being for the most part afreid or ill just seeing him walking around. A reminder of a time that they rather forget.

This was for every Pop troll in the Village, a second chance of sort for them. Many having learned that their behavor on a grey trolling had been far from what any troll should act. Much less adults that should know better and be fair in their judgement. A lot of trolls have been more open minded since, and with Branch proven himself in many ways, the Village have been slowly falling in love with his grumpyness, paranoia, knowledge and other things that makes him unique. And have accepted that patient is key when it comes them all and Branch beginning to become a 'normal' troll. Though non would deny the fact that their grump would never be a truly 'normal' troll thanks to what he had happned to him, they are all for the most happy to help him regain what little normal they could give him back.

"So" Guy begins. A small smile forming on his face as Branch catchs the ball that Tiny kicked to his playmate. With the grey trolling quickly kicking it to CJ who sends it back to Tiny. Small laughter coming from the three having fun.

"Were's Poppy? Is she still sleeping?"

That earned him a snort from both Smidge and Biggie, both trolls having a annoyed look on their facese followed sortly by concern after.

"I wish Guy, I wish" says Biggie, the normal gentle happy gaint troll frowning as he said that. His worm Mr. Dinkles mewing a little at his owners voice earning a pat on his head from the troll. "When we got their Poppy looked like she's been at war at some sort or another. Her father was there as well. Trying to get her to take some rest while he looks after Branch. But you know how stubbron she can get."

"Got that damn right" Cooper chimes in, still looking at the children playing, a small chuckle comes out as Milton jumps a little to catch the ball with his hair has it fly over Branch and then sends it back, getting a quick "thanks!" from the kid. He continuse to say to Guy" It took the all of us and then some to tell that he would been fine for a few hours with us while she's gos and catch some sleep. And King Peppy made sure that to tell her, he could handle most of the royal duties for a day with out much problems."

A eye roll from Smidge soon followed after hearing that " Yeah, but we still had to throw her in bed when she still refused to get alnong with it. She got knocked out as soon as her head hit the damn pillow"

Guy just shrugs at that. " Thats the Poppy we know. She's stubborn as they come."

That get Prince D's attention to the conversation. " You can say that twice more Guy. I really don't think theres many that can out stubbron her, execpt Branch here" he moves his head at said trolls direction. Proveing his point on that.

Small laughter comes from that. However it did not last long.

"Well look who we have here. Namaset everyone."

And thats was when everything would sortly after words turn in to the current situation. Though to be honest, Guy is sure that this is going to make sure that Creek going to stay as far away from Branch for a while. Which from the looks of hit is going to be dearly needed. Elma is still holding Branch, her hair hidding him from the guru as she looks at the purple troll only a pissed off mother or aunt could pull of. Guy is so glade his not the target for that look. As the saying go's, if looks could kill, Creek would have already died a thousend times.

"Well Poppy" Prince D begins, the only one that seem to be able to talk pass the anger that everyone of them are currently feeling. " It gos a little something like this." he says, his eyes locking on Creek, whos face pales a few shades more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DJ Suki was tired to say the least. The ride to Bregen town had been fast and windy, but she'd been successful in delivering the news to Gristle and Bridget. None of them had been happy about it, but they have been more concerned about the enteir situation than anything else. Suki was glad Poppy had gotten Harper to make a Bergen sized picture of the damn flower for their gaint friends. Gristle had called for both the royal and town librarians to get to here as fast as possible. Both being shown the picture and gotten to know what happend had made both immediately gone to check the books to see if there were anything they had on the plant. Miss Garr saying she also going to call a cousin of her's whos a historian for some extra help. While Mr Bragen said he knows a guy thats a traveling herbelist and have seen things that most would not. His going to send a letter to him to come and take a look at whatever is left the flower in person. Though it might take a few weeks to months for him to show up.

It was a lot better news than she could hope for. While she'd been there, thanks rain for makeing it harder for her to fly back home! She'd gotten to know a story about a fountain that seems to share some of the flowers magic. It been interesting to hear it, and she hoped it would somehow help them with this mystery. If nothing else, it might help narrowing the search somewhat.

Now she's looking for Poppy or some of the other members of the Snack Pack, Fuzzbert is with her telling her whats been going on these past 2 days when the both of them hear a scream of pure anger, wrath and rage. It was followed sortly by the words that would wake up the dead.

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT YOU BASTARD!! I HOPE THE SPIRITS OF THE FOREST AND STRINGS WILL TEACH YOU A REAL HONEST LESSON THIS TIME OR ELSE I SWEAR I'LL HAVE BARB SHOW ME HOW!?!?!"

Than they see what looks like Creek flying through the air at speed they have not seen before and lands from what they can see were they are standing somewere neck deep into the woods.

"I have a very bad feeling about this." Suki says. Her face more than just worried.

Fuzzbert fully agrees and the both of them take off swinging to the tree that seem to have been the cause of the scream.


	4. choices to be made, plans to take flight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go folks. Chapter 3 is on the road. It's so long that I had to spilt it in half, so chapter 4 should come soon. Hopefully before I crash from all the overwork thats been happning lately.
> 
> I've made my own improved vers of the fountain of youth as well as some other stories of other related and non related legends. So don't be too mad at me when we come that part as well in chapter 4.
> 
> Now once my headache is gone and am not dead tired anymore from chapter 3 and 4, chapter 5 will be mostly be in King Quincy pov, with Essence coming later on after the nexy two chapters or so. I think. Am giving you guys a heads up because not only is it going to take me longer to make them, but when it come to chapters were we are going to follow mostly one person I am going to give you guys a heads up so that non get confused in the future chapters to come.
> 
> Also this () means that Fuzzbert is 'talking'. And yes my nickname for Fuzzbert is Fuzz. Go sue me if you want.
> 
> Now am going to go get me some aspirin, a good cold glass of milk or some hot tea and go to bed. Goodnight everyone.
> 
> * for thought  
> " for speak  
> BIG words means either shouting or screaming  
> ~ means change of pov

Of all the things to happned today, Creek had to come and ruin what would be for Poppy a few hours of much needed sleep and thinking time for her to come up with something to tell the other leaders as well as get some alone time with Hickory and Dickory to, hopefully, explain on what is going to happen in the next couple of days. Once she, her dad and her friends had come up with something. Just thinking about it, made the headache she was currently having made worst and she's sure its not gonna get any better soon. Oh the docs are not gonna be happy at all. She just knows it.

With a sigh that was too heavy to anyone that heard it, Poppy close her eyes for a moment, then opens them again after she count to 20. A nice little trick she'd seen Branch to often when she and their friends got a little too much for him on some days. Looking somewhat calmer than before she can now see the proper damage that have been done. Her heart just sink to her feet. Smidge and Milton seems to be the most damaged in the physical bit, ugly black-blue bruises litter her yellow friends right side and face. With some of them having blood coming out, while Milton clearly needs to get his arm checked by the doctors as fast as possible. Biggie, Cooper, Prince D, Hickory and Dickory only seems to have scratches and light bruises, though D seems to have a sprain on one of his legs/arms. If his somewhat halting steps are anything to go by as he walk to his twin to help clam the child thats under said tiwn. CJ is still hidding under Cooper, the poor girls sapphire blue eyes wide in fear, but Cooper seems to be doing a good job at keeping her calm for now. It would be great if DJ Suki was here now, the queen thinks. Poppy is guessing that Tiny is in Guy's hair from the movements that Guy is not making himself, though if the toddler was any better she did not know, but from the looks of it they would at least not have to start looking for little glitter troll. She then looks at the surroundings. The half finished park is almost more rubble than anything else, huge water pools had been made when Branch had thrown the water towers at the guru, walls that were meant for restrooms, nice little eating places for people to sitt or cafes looked like they had a bomb or something blow them up. Weeks of work was now ruined. Irritaion is all she can feel right now about that, but she's sure it will get worst once she needs to tell the constructions workers that they are going to have to rebuild everything again.

She then turn to Branch and the old woman. Poppy knows her well by the reputation the old Pop toll has. Elma Dom, 79 year old explorer, tunnel digger and scout that help her dad immensely turing the years it took to make the escape tunnel back before the peace that they have now with the Bergens. Elma is know for finding poisonous plants turing the long weeks of their journey to their new home that could have killed hundres of trolls as well as help keeping the more dangerous beast and critters at bay. Her bluntness, cheer, hard lesson and honest work attitude is well know for being both the best and worst at the same time, with it she ends up clashing with a lot of the other elders of the tribe, way before she became a elder herself. She runs a little shop that has all kinds of niknaks to everyday items to the more special tools of craft trades. Poppy herself have been there a few times to get things that most other craft stores can't sell do to safety standers, the old woman always had some candy ready at her counter for trolls to take while they wait for their order. The place always smelled of lavender or mint, with maybe some roses now and then, but it was a nice place to be. She'd been helping out getting supplies to other trolls or gone into the forest, not too deep though she knows shes not as young anymore, to get things from there when needed. What Poppy did not know though, as she sees how Branch hugs the woman, that she knew Branch quiet well.

"Poppy?" comes from her dad, his wrinkled old face looking at her in worry. "Are you doing alright sweetheart?"

"I don't really know dad. I don't really know."

He nods at the anwser and looks around again, the look in his eyes makes Poppy's heart even worst.

"Alright everybody. Let's get to the Healer pod and get fixed. Then will see from there." Poppy calls to her friends, and before the others get to answer her back two familiar voices stops them.

" Is everyone alright!?" ( Whats going on here?!) DJ Suki and Fuzzbert comes swinging from the tree tops, both clearly screared from just hearing their voices alone. CJ immediately spring from Cooper's under side and crashes into her aunt making them both fall to the ground. The poor gril is crying in relief as soon as DJ Suki has her arms around her niece, looking back at her friends as she slowly comes up from the ground, their dj friend looks on in both confusion and worry. Fuzzbert has gone to Smidge, Milton and Hickory seeing that both his friend and her lover was in not so good shape. The fuzzling fretting around them like a mother would to her child.

"I'll tell the both of you on the way to the Healer pod, Suki and Fuzz. Right now thats the most importen task right now." Poppy anwser her two worried friends. Very glad that they are here. "Fuzz could you please carrie Milton? And Hickory could please to the same for Smidge? I don't think its good for them to walk right now."

( Got it Poppy!) "Of course ma'm" she gets back from them. Milton is greatfull for the help as Fuzzbert use his hair to lift the vet off the ground, cradling around the gentel troll in a good but soft grip as to not hurt him more. Smidge looks like she wants to say something, but she thinks twice about it and just walks to Hickory's back. The bounty hunter having to kneel a bit down so she can get on.

"Miss Elma?" Poppy ask the elder before her. The woman looks up to her Queen, a brow slightly up as she hear her name being spoken. Her dark golden hair has loosen a bit around Branch, and has she stand up from her kneel, she let go of the grey trolling, but its clear with the way Branch's hands hold on to her clothes that he won't let go of the woman anytime soon. His face is ureadable as he looks around himself. But one can see the guilt in his eyes.

"Could you and Branch come with us? I'd liked to get Branch checked for any injuries." Poppy ask as nicely as she can. The woman just smile at her. "Of course my Queen. Come on sweetpea, we need to see the doctors. If your good I'll make some of my supries blackberry candy canes for you. Is that alright?" She looks at Branch. The woman can see that he is not all there, but she gets a nod back. Him being quiet makes both woman look at him worried.

"Alright everyone. Lets go!" Poppy says, a little of her usual pep seems to have somewhat returned. * By the Forest and the Strings. Please give me strenght.* Poppy thinks as she leads everyone to the doctors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DJ Suki is beyond pissed and lived well before she and her friends are anywere near the Healer pod. As she holds her niece closer, the dj thinks how she's supposed to tell both her mom, big sister and sister-in-law about this without the three woman going on a unnecessary manhunt on the guru. Not because she cares about Creek, way way far from it, for her he can go an kick the grave for all she cares right now, but it would just not be worth it what so ever. Fuzzbert is both shaking and vibrating from trying so hard to not lash out in anger. But his level headed enough to not hurt Milton whos looking at the fuzzling worried.

(How, wha- Just how the fuck could he?! This can-I don't have the words for this! I hope non are too hurt from this.) Fuzzbert says, his voice says it all about how angry he is, but aslo just how worried he is for everyone. Prince D, Hickory and Dickory are just looking at the fuzzling, wondering what he is saying as they can not make head or tails of the noises thats coming from the green haired small troll. DJ Suki could not help a small smile froming on her face. It had been very fun seeing the three of them reacting to finding out about that fuzzlings talked in noises, hums, thrills and a verying amount of other sounds. Instead of words, though the same can be said for them as well when they heard Growly Pete 'talk' as well. It had been very strange though, that both Pete and Fuzzbert could understand eachother without any help needed.

"Well as you can see for yourself Fuzz. Not so good. The others are easy to see were they are hurt, but am not so sure about Tiny and Branch." Poppy answers back. She looking at DJ Suki when she asked "How CJ doing?" Her eyes are soft as she looks at the little dj to be.

"While I can't see any injuries, thanks Milton for keeping her safe, I'll still have the doctors look at her just to be sure. After that, am a have to call my mom to get CJ's moms to come get her. Oh am not looking forward to this." Suki anwser back, than she says quicly afterward " Oh and Poppy. I got some leads and news to you from Bergen town. Both Gristel and Bridget was very understanding of the situation and will help were they can. All other Bergens have been informed that for now, Pop Village is not to be visited for a while." Suki is eyeing Branch as she says that. But she can see no reaction from her friend. Something was definitely wrong with him. They have learned within less than 5 hours after the transformation that Branch had voilent and panicked reaction whenever he hears the word 'bergen'. Even though he has no idea why. Now though, even when he was not that far behind them he showed no reaction what so ever. Worry takes over her anger and she just give her Queen a sad and worried smile back to her.

She gets back a " Your welcome" from the vet as he trun a bit to be a little more comfortable in Fuzzbert's hair.

"Good to know. We'll have a meeting soon. Hopefully within a few hours or tomorrow. It depends on what the doctors says." Poppy says as they near the pod. One can see that she's far from happy to go there right now. The doctors are a bit high strung with what has been going on this week. Them coming with more injuries is not gonna make them happy. *Though if am right the one Poppy dose not want to meet righ now is Creek's dad.* That makes Suki sigh, Dr Brake was a wonderful doctor who has a mellow streak that was well liked by everyone, even Branch likes him somewhat. However, ever since he'd gotten to know about his son betrayal as well how his attitude have been after he came back to the village had not been taken kindly, non have seen the good doctor so mad before when he had gotten the news, and neither had he believed them either untill he got to see it for himself. The shame that was on his face said all that was needed. He nor Creek don't talk much anymore, and if they do talk to eachother, Brake's husband Skall is always there to keep things cool. She dose not know how it is now, but its highly doubtfull that Brake's gonna be a happy chap when he gets these news.

As they step in, they meet said man and Dr Plum and Suki knows that from the way her friend frezzes this is going to be hell.

"Queen Poppy, DJ Suki, Fuzzbert and Milton what are you guys doing here?" Says Brake, his grey-blue eyes just like his sons looks at them. "And the rest of the snack pack as well? Did you guys do something dangerouse again?" a brow go's up as the rest of the group follows in. He sees Elma comes in with a look of supries on his face. "Well look who the bats draged in! Elma you old coat! Were have you been?!" he says, clearly happy to see her.

"Oh you know" the woman started "Been going here and going there, trying to get some of the gardens and farmlands in place again. And trying to stop Branch here from killing your son after he called him a murderer! Also when are you ready to have that drink we talked about? Neither you, me or Skall are getting any younger you know?" She continues on, a strange smile on her face as she deliver the bomb straight to his face. Everyone, except Peppy who just looks tired at her, and rather annoyed, looking at her in stunt horror of the sheer bluntness of hers. They all slowly looks back to Brake, a look of confusion on his face before it dawns just what she said.

"He what?" Brake says in a low voice at the start, than he screams "HE DID WHAT NOW?!?"

Yep. This day just got better.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

King Peppy walks back to the others that are in one of the waiting rooms, after getting Brake to calm down and give him a proper explanation once the light red troll had stopped going utter bonkers about what Elma had just thrown at him. Leave it up to her to always get people to become like this. He sometimes wounder whether or not she dose it to keep him sharp or just for the small joy of giving him some small trouble. She'd always been like that as far as he can remember, even when she was babysitting him back in their childhoods days she did it, though at a lot smaller scale. The former king can't help but chuckle a bit, but its soon gone as he comes in to the room.

Biggie, Cooper, Hickory, Dickory, Fuzzbert, Guy and Tiny Diamond are milling about in the room, non of them had any serious injuries and only needing a band aid at the worst injurie. Tiny is looking in a book that Guy has found softly telling the story from it, while the bounty hunter brothers are playing a card game to pass the time. Fuzzbert seems to be the referee to said card game. Biggie and Cooper are looking at some papers that Biggie is currently drawing on, quietly talkling to eachother while keeping an eye on Elma and Branch. Said trolls are sitting in a small couch thats just around a corner were Branch had fallen asleep on, his head on the elder trolls knee. Elma is just stroking his hair slowly, a small true smile on her face. Its been a long time since he'd seen that face on her. They only comes out whenever shes feels that everything is safe. The box he'd been carring for her sat just beside her on the right of her feet.

Walking over to the pair, taking a chair with him the old former king walks a silent as he can to them. Which is easier said than done when you use a cane. When he sits down Elma barely looks up to him. Shes too focused on her little boy, but she those acknowledge him with a slight nod. He dose not mind it at all. He knows better than to disturb her right now. Instead he looks at the kid. Memories from when they still lived in the old Troll Tree thats been their home for several hundred generations turing the horrid time there plays by, one by one. Seeing Branch like this again, so small, weak and lost his colour once again brings back both the old fear and anger that he still can not nor will forgive for a good time still coming. That was something that his daughter would hopefully not need to ever get to feel. To feel a deep cold anger and hot fear on the fact one did not know if they were going to live to the next day was far from the best feeling in the world. Even when the Bergens learned that the trolls that live in tree was infact sentient beings, they still continued Trollistic like it did not matter at all. Though he knows that as soon as his and his daughters generation dies out from old age, as it should be, the only know hatered that will linger are dose in the history books at the library. In a odd way, Peppy is happy that would be the only thing left from that time. But at the same time, he can't stop himself from feeling that its not enough. He still, in a deep part of himself, wanted the Bergens to feel the pain, sorrow, anger and fear that so many Pop trolls have felt, and many still feel today.

He sigh quietly to himself at that. Trying to cool his mind and heart from these thoughts. This was what Peppy was glad that his daughter was better at then he was. And with her having so many good friends to keep her straight from ruin was always a welcoming thought to him. It was even better now that Branch have joined in this group as well. The stubborn grump having rubbed off of not only Poppy but also some of their friends to be more carefull. And have a lttle more juged look on things. 

A small hushed laughter comes of his mount, waking Elma somewhat from what she was doing as well as stir Branch somewhat but he quickly gos back to sleep again. She glares at him, but theres hardly any heat in it. Befroe she gets a chance to say anything Poppy with DJ Suki and CJ Suki comes to the room. The three of them all looking done for the day. DJ Suki just noods at their direction as she walks with her niece to a table and chairs that has a bounch of stuff for kids. While Poppy comes their way holding a chair of her own. As she sits she can't help but smile at her boyfriends sleeping face. A small blush comes out when see realised that she had two elders looking at her.

"Sorry about that." She whispers to them, not daring to wake Branch up.

"It's fine little lass. So how was Dr Moonlight? I saw that they were far from happy to see you here." Elma both anwsered and asked. Before she and Branch had been going to Dr Plum, the old troll had seen the white coloured troll with their twilight colour haired practical drag the queen from were she stood as soon as they had spotted her. Moolight was a young one, but far from a bad doctor and was most of the time in a pleasent mood no matter the time of the day or night, but one of the things that seems to always thick the everliving patient out of them was seeing trolls that have had very little sleep for days. They never tell people why it thick them off so much and at best, from what she'd been told from one of her own little gossip tea times she had with the old girls every now and then, it seem to have come from when Moonlight was much younger.

Poppy wince from Elma's question. "Not so great to be honest, though Moonlight seem to understand that I did not need a lecture today." as Poppy says that she takes out of her hair a small bag. Shaking it a bit makes a sound that both elders recognise as pills." I was given these two types. One for my headach and the other to take when I go to bed." She frowns at that. "Its like Moonligh expects me to go to sleep, but theres little chance in that with Branch's...episodes." 

"Well sweetheart, thats going to chance in a bit." Peppy says back, getting a really confused look from Poppy. "Elma here is going to take care of Branch for the next week or so. That way you have time to prepare for the meeting without looking like you have been...well for the lack of better words a zombie. And before you starts arguing with me or shout. She is Branch's legal foster parent. She took care of him untill the day he moved to the bunker." The former king said. Looking at his little girl with a pointed look that he only gave her when she needed to listen and be quiet, and not shouting as loud as she could in shock. Poppy has always had a strong pair of lungs since the day she hatched. Which was both a blessing and a curse at times. It had been very hard for Peppy to teach her the more sensitive stuff of being a ruler and untill he'd found a way to tech her that trick, Peppy had to tolerate getting his poor ears bleeding each time Poppy screamed in shock or horror.

Poppy keeps quiet even though she'd had one of the most shocked faces the her father had seen for a long time. He could see that gears were moving in her eyes and as both he and Elma waited the two of them began to small talk. Nodding to Prince D when he came to the room with a brace on his back left leg, as he walks to his twin and Biggie, Peppy notice that D is a little dizzy. Dr Plum most have given the Funk prince some strong painkillers, they found out within the first couple of weeks that Funk trolls and Rock trolls needed stronger pain killers for the meds to work that was on pair with what Pop trolls only use turning emergency cases. Something they somewhat knew thanks to Cooper's war with his own balance and feet that had caused some very bad bone breaks and painfull landings. And while they had said types of pain killers, only Cooper was the only one to not experience the dizzyness or oddly enough, cramps or stiffness that came with said meds. Its most likely that since Cooper has lived with this meds for well over 20 years, his body is a lot more used to it than the rest of his and the Rock tribes. It was a little time after that that Poppy spoke again.

"So you were the one he talked about." Poppy looks at the woman with a look of wonder on her face.

"Oh realy now? what did he say?" Elma asked, a look of fun on her face that made Peppy rolle is eyes in foundness rather than annoyes.

"Both a lot and so little if am honest. He would always tell me about the small adventures you would take him on when you were teaching him about the wildlife and things to not do in the forest. Or the time when you started to teach him archery. He'd always talk about you in such a happy and safe voice." The soft happy smile on his daughter face told Peppy and Elma how much Poppy liked the stories as well how much she cared for her boyfriend.

"Hahahaha. Oh my boy choice well!" Elma laughs, though not laoud enough to wake him up.

"You want to know more sweetie?"

"Oh I loved to!"

Peppy shake his head. One things for sure. When Branch is turned back to normal. His not gonna have any problems with Elma liking Poppy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cooper is looking were Poppy, Peppy and Elma are talking. He, D and Biggie had been a bit worried when they have seen Poppy's eyes widen in shock over something her father had said to her, but now she as happy as can be. Which in his opinon was something he and the others have missed sorely this days. Whatever the three of them was talking about, it was making Poppy happy. Thats all Cooper cared for now.

"So I was thinking, if I switch maybe some of this berries here and ad a bit more lemon, I might have a working dessert that would be less likely to make more of the Classical trolls go into hyper speed again from a sugar rush." Biggie says as D looks at some of the new desserts Biggie has been working on for weeks now. Ever since the last sugar rush or a sugar crash as some would called it, that the other tribes had experience once again. Biggie along with several other chefs has been working hard on making recipes that wont give said sugar problems as well as tast good. It was a uphill battle, but Biggie seems to have fun doing it.

"Yeah, that should help. But you should switch the jams on these treats here." D points to a set of candy treats thats combind with some ice cream. " I don't think that combo is gonna do any good." The uncomforable look that come over his bro's face said just what he mean about that. Cooper had first been utterly horrified when he'd seen both his parents and twin go down on the ground in shock after eating some of said teart and ice cream combo on their first family holiday together. Ever since then, Cooper's been working and helping Biggie to get all kinds of recipes together. However, its hard for him to give very much help in what would work. His getting used to the foods that he eats at Vibe City when he can visit his family, however due to the same reason as Pop trolls has to change their recipes for the other tribes, the same can besaid for the Funk trolls also. Since Cooper is more accustomed to a Pop troll diet than a Funk troll one, his family have been carefull in what he gets to eat at the moment. This happened after Cooper got to experience his own kind of food shock that had send him to the emergency room sortly after. Turns out, even though his born funk and should be able to eat these foods like any other Funk troll, it dose not mean that his body is going to accept most food in any quantity thats not small when said body is used to a more...hyper and sugary kind of diet.

He'd manged to scare them as much as they had sceared him when they had gone into their sugar shock. His dad was quiet bumbed and sad about it, since he'd hoped to teach Cooper, like he did to Darnell, some recipes thats been on his side of the family for generations. Many of them as it turned out would have send Cooper to a hospital bed faster that one could say 'no'. It pains Cooper to not getting experience that father and son bonding right now, but untill he can tackle more of his Funk tribes foods, its on hold. At least he gets to enjoy his dads honey jam treats with him and make those together, it was something. On a more positive note, the new diet has made his own tinsels start to grow. One can barely see them and whatever colour said tinsels are going to have is still unknow right now, since they are still in beginner stage of growth, but the look his mom had when she had seen the tinsels sprouts was a look of pride and joy. Only the Funk trolls born to royalty got tinsels like his mom and bro have, so Cooper can't really wait to see what his are going to be like. Though he could to well without the itching.

As he remember said itch, it came back with a vengeance, making Cooper hiss a bit. He'd manged to ignore it for the most part thanks to how crazy things have been today, but now he can't. D and Biggie is looking him as he starts to take care of said itch, rubbing and clawing at his neck. D quickly comes to his aid, knowing full well just how much of a pain it can be, having gone through what Cooper is currently having. Biggie smile at him a bit in concern, his gaint friend knowing full well theres little that he can help with.

"I can't wait for this to be over." Cooper said, annoyens and mild irritaion was thick in his voice. Neither D nor Biggie said anything to that.

"Cooper are you okay?"

"Huh? Ah Milton! Good to- what the hell did the doctors do to you arm??" Was what came out of Cooper's mouth as he saw the vet before him. The gentle trolls right arm was covered in both plaster, bandage and some weird metal construction that not only hold the violet-skinned trolls arm in place, but also seems to support his shoulder with what seems like some sort of extra thick shoulder guard with support metal rods and bearing to alow some moved. Milton gave him, D and Biggie a smile and whispers to them so that non of the others could hear him.

"Yeah, turns out Branch both snapped and broke my bones a few places, as well as got my arm out of socket all in one try. This thing is just temporary untill they can get a proper cast to heal the bones and what not, but it seems am on sick leave for a while, at least 5 or 6 months by the looks of it. I think desipte Branch being in a kids body, all of the strength that he got from traning his hair remains. Which is scary to think about to be honest. Trolling aren't suppost to have that much strength in their hair yet." Milton was right in that part, normal trollings Branch age are able to at most throw a chair a few feet away to protect them self or use it to hid in small places by useing it as a cover of some sort. And the only body harm they could do was at best nasty bruises. Unless they starts as early as Smidge in their strength training that is.

"Excuse me what now?!" D shouts. The three of them look at him in shock, then it hits them that D did not know this bit about Pop trolls.

"Right, sorry bro. I forgot to tell you about this. Pop trollings around the age of 5-10 will at their very best attempt when it comes to hurt people, are some nasty bruises at the worst that you'll only get. However adults can, even when they have not trained their hair strength from a very young age, can lift several people with ease if they want to." Cooper looks at D, whos face became more and more concern, and a little pale, at what he was told. * Right. Note to self, teach D, mom and dad about what they can expect to happen while Branch is like this and whats normal for a Pop trolling his age.* Cooper thinks to himself.

"Yeah, but Branch has strengthen his hair for a long time as well, And at a very young age at that." Biggie says. "I would not be supriest if he is among the top 10 trolls with the strongest hair in the village." Milton says as well. The three of them was well aware of that it was most problemly not that far from the truth. D is just starring at them before he just shake his head. Mumbling words only he could understand.

"I think Branch as trained his hair more in versatility than anything." Comes a voice form behind them. Making all four of them jump a bit. Truning around, Poppy is standing there a smile on her face as she snicker a bit at their reaction from her sneak attack.

"Thats true as well." Cooper agreed. It would have help Branch much more than just strengthen his hair like all other trolls would or the way Smidge did it for that matter. For Branch, while brawn and strenght was good. Skills, ability, speeds and technique was far better in the survivalist opinon. So was also knowing what you were doing as well.

"And am guessing they tired to teach any of this to you to?" D asks him. In responds, Cooper lifts his hair a sort bit up and begins to sway it from left and right. Even lifting his cap and do a small bow with his head before his hair flips it in the air and catch it to put it back on his head. D is just looking at him, his eye browns raised. "Okay thats way more than any Funk troll can do. How you do that?"

"I'll let you in on this bro. It never came to me easy. I had to train very hard to beable to move my hair the way the others do. But am not that good at it. These are some of the few tricks I can pull off. That said, I can use my hair to swing from branch to branch, if they are not to far from each other."

"Holy" is all D says.

"By the way D" Poppy begins" Why where you shouting before? You gave everyone a scare."

Both D and Cooper quickly turn their heads around them, and sees that they had gotten everyones attation. With a small blush, D quickly tells her what got him shouting. Poppy's smile slowly disappear and concern fills her face instead.

"Oh dear thats not good at all." Poppy says. Than she looks at Milton. "By the way Milton, do know how Smidge is doing? She's yet to show up."

"Yeah about that. The docs want me and Smidge to stay here a bit longer. Smidge is going to be free tomorrow around noon, while I'll stay here longer. We are a lot more beaten up than they first though."

"I see. I'll have Satin and Chenille come with some extra clothes for you two to change in later today. Could you tell her that we'll have a meeting around the afternoon tomorrow? Suki have gotten the news we need and I need everyone help right now."

"Sure think Poppy. I've got go now though see you later guys." Milton anwser her back, and as he walks away Poppy truns to Cooper, D and Biggie. "You all heard that right?"

"Sure did Poppy." Biggie says" I'll just have to make sure my shop is locked and I'll be there."

"Thanks Biggie" Poppy smiles, than she turns to the Funk Prince twins. "Sorry D, I can't have you in the meeting"

"Ah don't worry much Poppy. I don't mind it very much. From what Cooper have been willing to tell me, dispite my best effort to get him to talk" at that his twin looks pointy at him" I understand that this is a matter that I should not be in at the moment."

Cooper can't help but be a little sorry about that. He have never been the best liar nor actor. But he'd promiset Poppy to avoid telling his brother and parents about whats going on right now with how messed up things is. It was very very hard for him, but Poppy had told him that he could tell them somethings at their last meeting before Suki went to Bergen Town. He'd been truely happy about that. Their parents had relayed the message to the other leaders that there was going to be other matters talked about in the coming meeting. And that it was very importen.

"Thanks D. I really appreciate it. Well, I got to go and see Satin and Chenille and tell them whats going on. See you all later"

"Bye Poppy" comes from the three of them as they see her walk away.

"Lets all go home. I think we all have had enough for today" Biggis says the gaint troll as he stands up. Cooper and D stand up as well. And as the three of them walks out of the pod and to their homes, Cooper can only hope that whatever happens tomorrow would be something good.


	5. choices to be made, plans to take flight part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay so here the thing, due to not only the flu, which am still recovering from, and that I have a hell of a lot more to write in this chapter and me feeling bad that you'all have been waiting for it for so long, there will a part 3 so that I can get this thing done and recover much faster, THEN I can begin the Quincy chapter that I've been sort of working on in bits and pieces while writing this to hopefully get done before xmas or at least new year.
> 
> Also am very very sure I butchered myslef when I first splitting this chapter in two to begin with, cause this truned out to be the biggest chapter I've every writen that was not homework or class agistment. Oh joy.
> 
> Until than folks enjoy.
> 
> * for thought  
> " for speak  
> () this means Fuzzbert or a Fuzzling is talking  
> BIG words means either shouting or screaming  
> ~ means change of pov

Later next day, close to the afternoon.

If anyone asked Branch how his week have been, he would tell them this. A confused mess with both emotionally and physically pain, with fear and frustration mixed well with all anger that is slowly boiling to the surface, all of it is well packed with all the uncretainty he's been feeling all this week. This village, that feel so familiare and peacefull, was also equal unfamiliar and scary as well, was driving him nuts in more ways than he could understand. And don't get him started on all the looks of pity and guilt he's been getting from every Pop adult and elder that have looked at him whenever he pass them. His not sure why, but he feels that the looks he should have gotten from them is fear, anger or displeasure. Not this feeling that he gets that they are guilty for him being grey which made no sense to him. Was it not his fault that he is like this?

"Sweetpea would you be a dear and go get those empty buckets for us?" Aunt Elma brings him back from the thoughts thats been haunting his mind with that question. Has Branch blink a bit he remembers were he is at the moment. He and aunt Elma were currently helping several trolls with the herb gardens that the healers use. Many of them are still in ruin and few have survived the fire as well the metal scraps that litter around the place. Why a fire have happen and were all this scrap metal come from Branch had no soild idea yet, but aunt Elma told him that a very bad fight happened a few months back was cause for this mess. "Yes auntie." Branch says as he stands up from the ground and dusts the green dress aunt Elma had let him wear today, and then begins to run were the buckets are, one adult was giving them out to anyone that needed one or more. Taking back some that needed a good wash and scrub when they got way too dirty to use thanks some of the mud and dirt made the handle or the bucket way to slippery. Some even have big cracks in them, so the adult just throw them in big wooden boxes when she finds one.

As Branch slows down and starts to walk closer to her, he feels the anticipation of a bad reaction to come from her, which he strangely knows that it would come, like it was expected and normal for her to react to him badly. But when she sees him come closer to her, all that comes across her face, first and briefly, is a look of saddness and guilt, before they disappear and a small smile is on her face instead. As she smiles to him she asks" Come to get some buckets little one?" All Branch dose is nod his head shyly, his head down and eyes on the ground as he dare not to look at her. Her voice is kind and she is most likely to giving him a nice smile, but Branch finds it hard to look up at her. Just like it is for him most of the time when he is not talking to Peppy, Poppy, the Snack Pack, Prince D and the bounty hunter brothers as well as his aunt. It was a strange, weird, unneeded and rather annoying thing since he somehow knows and feels that he don't need to do it, but dose it anyway.

"Here you go little guy" the woman says her voice still kind to him as she talks and hands him some buckets that he can easly carry in his hair. " Now be carefull on your way back. The ground is a real slippery mess and there are still holes thats not been fixed yet that have become traps at this point." She tells him and after Branch once again nods his head and start to walk back he can't help but be way more cautious about going were he, aunt Elma and a another eldery troll is currently making and putting fences as well as get other smaller metal pieces out of the ground. Non seems to mind it that he was taking his time and once he gets there he is back to taking out the metal from the ground while his aunt and the other elder continue to make the fance.

However while he toss the pieces in one of the new buckets his mind once again gos back to how his week have been. Or rather how it started. To Branch, this memory is still a bit blurry for him to remember even though its barly been a week since it happned. But from what he had been told it was not that much of a suprise with that part since he had not been of very sound mind, so him not remember very well is just somewhat expected on that part.

It had all been so terrifyingly scary when that strange powder like smoke finally cleared up to let him see, and than come face to face with two unkown people or monsters as his mind had labeled them at the time in a underground place among metal parts, wires, cables, tools and sitting in bundle of way too big clothes to fit him. He'd backed into a corner after screaming at them to not come closer, not caring that he was in the nude and just looked at them with wide fearfull eyes, noteing that one was pink coloured the other lime coloured. He'd already readyed himself to bolt the second they tried something, but it seems to take them a while to do anything as they began to argue among eachother for a bit, before coming to some agreement. He had not moved from the corner at all, to afraid to move incase they reacted poorly to any moves he'd made. Both of them begain to talk to him slowly as well as move slowly, trying not scare him anymore than he already was. It did not work at all. He bolted as soon as the one that was lime coloured tried to pick him up once close enough, while the pink one had started to hum a melody a little while ago, and while it was calming it helped very little to calm him. He most have taken the lime one by suprise, since he manged to dodge under the legs and sprinted down the hall at speed that even took Branch by suprise.

What followed soon after was something that could only be called a manhunt.

Branch dodge, jumped, slide and ducked away from many other people, all with so many diffrent colours, shapes and size that it just made everything worst as he somehow manged to not only avoid getting caught by both arms and moving hair, but for some strange reason he knew were to go, were to run and what to use things that he seems to see before others did to make some more distend between him and the others and then some. He did not know how long this lasted, but while he was still running a slow and steady pain began somewere on his body as he continued to run from hall to hall, room to room and area to area. At first it just felt like a slight sting somewere, but as time went on it got stronger. By the time the pain felt like he'd hit something hard against his body, but not so bad as it would become soon after, Branch had run into a giant room filled with books, bookshelfs and several chairs and tables. Among one of the bookshelfs farther in, was a small hole that fit someone his size. And while he was grateful for the little hidaway, it also very much annoyed him to no end that this hole was not supposed to be there at all. Non the less he went in there and stayed as silent as he could as he heard voices calling out a name, that sounded awful familiar but for some reason the name seems to just slips away from him.

He did however not need to think much about the name that the voices was saying for long. The pain that have been getting stronger suddenly got way worst as soon as Branch began to somewhat calm down. From feeling like he had hit something hard to soring burning pain that felt like hot white fire spread around his body like nothing else, making his eyes brun with tears from both the pain and the horrible feelings he was already experience from before even worst. Quiet sobs began to come out of him as more and more pain comes through and while this was going on he felt something run down his nose that just felt wrong. As he put a hand on his nose and takes it away as soon as his finger touch what ever was running out of his nose and then as he takes a look at the fingers, two things immediately screams at him that something is horrible wrong. First is his hand thats a dark ash grey colour and thats just makes him feel wrong in many ways that he could neither remember or understand cause somewere in his mind was a voice that said *NO NO NO NOT GREY AGAIN?! NOT AGAIN?!?* The second was the wet stuff on said grey fingers. It was lovely ligh pink colour with what seems to be a little glitter in it and had a slight glow that while it was not much, it was still enough that Branch had seen his grey skin. Like everything else its awful familiar, but this time his mind manged to graps the name of this stuff. Blood, its blood. His blood.

Panic starts to spread in him and said panic seems to make things worst as now his eyes starts to blurr, making it hard to see anything. All of a sudden he feels tired despite all the pain he's in, put the fear and panic in him keeps him awake. And then he felt eyes on him, how he knew that is anyones guess, but as soon as he lift his head he sees another lime coloured person, this one much smaller than the first one he saw, thats just staring at him. Branch can somewhat tell, even though its getting harder to see things as his eyes gets more and more blurry, that this person is looking at him in suprise and shock before a unsure look fall on their face. Branch just let out a hiss and trys to crawl even more inside his little hidaway, though theres not that much space left in the hole. The hissing had been a bad idea though as soon as Branch stop a coughing attack soon came, making him cough up even more blood. That seems to make the new stranger react, as they shout something that he can not understand. Ringing soon starts in his ears as several foot steps can be heard, and before Branch knows it, a pair of familiar lime coloured strong arms manged to take him out of the hole once the much smaller one had moved away. The grip is strong but gental as the much taller one of the two hold him to their somewhat hairy chest, but Branch don't care. He struggle in the grip, but its a weak struggle. His tried, in pain, tears are burning his eyes, his nose most still be bleeding since some of it lands on the floor as well on the chest and another coughing fit comes back, making him even more miserable. The tall lime one wont let go though, even when Branch hits them werever his fists or legs can reach.

Then a pink-golden light beings to shine, and Branch turns to see the pink one among a bounch of other equal bright coloured people. The pink one's hands are glowing in the light that had gotten Branch's attation, but the pink-golden ligh was hard for him to describe, his eyes at this point can barely make out anything but coloured blurrs. But that did not matter much, what did matter was that said light was slowly coming near him which he did not like at all. He continued to struggle even when the hands that was still bathet in the light touched his face and then it all stopped. The pain, the ringing and burning was gone. All turned black, blissful silence and tiredness. The last thing he remember befor he lost his will to stay awake is someone saying "Goodnight Branch."

When he had woken hours later in the Healer's Pod, more chaos had ensued when he had been asked if he was okay from a eldery doctor and Branch had anwsered with" Whats a Branch?" after he had been called by he's name once again, which he was unable to remember. The rest of the day along with the next day, was used to find out just how badly he'd lost his memories as well as many other tests to make sure nothing else was wrong. Turing that time, Poppy and the Snack Pack had come with a lot of scrapbooks and other things to help him remember things, it had helped but theres clear to see that Branch have gotten a major memorie loss. At least they had manged to get his mind to remember who and what he is, as well as who Poppy, Peppy and the Snack Pack is. It had taken him a bit longer to remember who Prince D, Hickory and Dickory were though, but they hadn't minded it much knowing that since Branch had not know them for years as he had with the Snack Pack, Poppy and Peppy, it was harder for him to remember them. However with him gaining some of he's memories back not all of them had been good. As soon as his mind started to remember some of these persons as well as some of the few good things he is able to remember, the bad once have come far more faster. That had, much to Branch misfortune, giving him nightmares since day 1 that would not give him any peace.

Branch lets those thoughts go to the back of his mind as quickly as he can. He's not letting them ruin what he as planed for today with another panic attack! He's getting in the bunker today to get some anwsers. No matter what his aunt, Peppy, Poppy and his 'friends' says. Which if Branch is honest, is a really strange thing for him to think that he has friends, that have in all honesty somehow manged earned his trust in someway that he is happy for, it made things a lot easier to understand whats going on. Well at least what they are willing to tell him anyways. He's not stupid, and even with the trust that he has for them all, he can tell that there are things they won't or can't tell him. Whether this was because they them self lacked the anwsers, had them but could not tell or something else was the cause did not matter to him very much. He wants anwsers, and if he had to go back to that place to find them so be it. It's not like he's actuall kid. Right?

That stops Branch all together from were he is sitting right now. Letting out a sigh, Branch just stops what he is doing and just looks down on his hands, a look of saddness, confusion and irritation on his face. Of all the things that have been the most horrible things going on, beside the nightmares and him seeing things he's sure are not real, is who and what he truely is. They have all told him what they are willing to tell him or what they believe he is able to handle, with aunt Elma, Peppy, Poppy and the Snack Pack being the most helpful of the bounch, but Branch can tell. Theres more going on. When he'd asked them things they will anwser to their best ability, but theres clearly things that they won't tell him. Like about the Bergens or this 'world tour' thing that people talk so much about. Or why it feels so strange being around Poppy all the time, but also feeling of peace and security that he has only found with his aunt. These things was what he wanted anwser for the most, beside finding out what happned to him. From what he can tell, feel and see, he is not supposed to be a kid right now. But what else is he? Beside knowing for sure now that he's a Pop troll and the village grouch and a survivalist. Which was something they liked about him to his supries. Theres very little else that made sense to him. Much less about the village.

A bit of a relief in this all, is that he is not the only one in the dark about somethings in this village. Prince D, Hickory and Dickory are also in the dark about a lot of things, with the exception of the world tour. And had been a bit more helpful in other things like relearning about other Troll Tribes. That had been very interesting to learn. With 6 main tribes and, more or less, 6 sub tribes theres a lot of interesting stories that they have told him about. Stories that had made Branch wanted to go and see them for himself. Though that had to wait for a while.

A hand comes on his shoulder, looking up from his hands, aunt Elma is smiling at him. One that helps Branch mood a bit at that. "Come on dear. It's time for lunch and I think we done enough on this site for today." He noods at that and as aunt Elma helps him get clean and ready to leave, he's already making up more plans, even if his mind and heart is still not in good mood, to get to the bunker. He just needed a good chance and then he would hopefully find some anwseres down that underground place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wait wait wait a mintue! Branch manged to do what now?!" Satin almost screams at the top of her lungs after she, Chenille and Legsly have been told about what happned to Milton and Smidge in more detail from their friends. Both she and her sister had been very shocked when they had yesterday gone to the Healer Pod to give their friends some spare clothes and found the pair in less than good conditions when they gotten there. Both Smidge and Milton had told them they would get an explanation at the afternoon meeting tomorrow, something neither she nor Chenille was going to argue against at seeing that both trolls were tired and clearly high on pain meds right now. They knew something bad had happned, with Creek being to cause of hit thanks to rumors and gossip running rampant around the village, with many being concerned and angry about it, and seeing Peppy walking to and fro places talking to diffrent people and giving new orders for building crews and checking onpond some the more irritated people about something. Seeing the former Pop King doing something like this when Poppy should be doing it only made the girls more convinced that whatever had happned had not been good at all.

"This is not good at all." Chenille said after her sister, a look of worry come across her face, which Satin mirrored as well. It was no secret among the group that Branch was, beside Smidge and Biggie, one of the strongest of their members and they have all seen it for them self in more than one occasion to how true that is. But this, this scare them both more ways than it should. Anyone that knows Branch, even just a little, would know that he would not harm a troll without a very good reason or it would only happen in self defence when one manged to either scare him good enough to do some damage or just get the jump on him. Though Barb would most likely have a few words about that part, according to her, she'd never had a book thrown at her like that before that hit her that hard. But the damage that Branch has done thanks to lossing controll of his anger was not something to joke about.

"Are your sure its okay for you to be here Smidge? I mean no offence but I'am not sure your body wants to get even more hurt." Legsly asked. A guilty look on her face for asking. She's never liked seeing anyone hurt, whether she knew them or not, and have always lend a lending hand when it happens. But looking at Smidge right now one would think she's trying to pose as a half finished mummy with a sore shoulder and a limp. Non have liked seeing her having to ask Cooper or Biggie to help her get to one of the chairs or hitch a ride so that she did not slow everyone down on their way to the meeting.

"Ah, no offence taken Legs. And yes, its fine. We are all going to be needed here if we are going to get anything done anyways." Smidge says back. "Beside, am not up for another talk from the docs or my mom again that I manged to make anything worst since as you all know, I will be hitting my weights first thing when back home just to keep me occupied while my body mend." She got some small chuckles from that. Non envyed how Smidge's mom was so protective of her daughter. Then again, everyone in the group have a very protective parent or parents, its a very commen thing in the village, despite how rowdy or reckless all Pop trolls usually are. Thanks to their past with the Bergens. But Smidge though was one of the luckyer once that have a parent that have had multiple kids, but only one had survived. This have led to that Smidge's mom have a problem with some of the things her daughter do, but unlike some of the other ones that share her problem, she at least gives Smidge a chance to explain herself or listen at least to what others have to say before a lecture comes out. She's also very fair in her judgements of people and opened minded, something Smidge wished she gotten more from her mom, and had much to everyones suprise know Branch a lot longer than they did and liked him very much. How she gotten to know Branch though, the woman is not gonna tell them. Saying that it is something that she'll take to her grave.

"Want to tell me what the joke is?"

"Hi dad!" Poppy says as see her dad comes in, a young glitter troll holding onto his arm, most likely having to guide him to the meeting room. While Peppy's memories is not bad that he needs help to remember things on a constant basis or help in everyday life, there are things that her dad have unfortunately forgotten completely. They are mostly places, but Poppy is not looking forwared to what lies ahead the next coming of years. Both the doctors and Cybil had assured her though that while her dad would not gain any major memory loss for a least a decade or more, Poppy still worried. It was something she and Barb had bonded on, as well as when the Rock Queen had learned about that Poppy had only been Queen for 2 years, compared her ruling for little over 5 years. She, Barb and Trollex are the youngest of all the rulers, with all three of them being still in their 20s while the rest are either in their mid 30s to mid 40s.

"We were just informing Satin, Chenille and Legsly about what happened yesterday. Nothing more dad. How's Elma and Branch doing?" Poppy knew that her dad had gone to see them ealier today as he knew that Poppy would not have the time since she had several meetings today about what works needed to be done first, delays and other stuff that Peppy dose not envy her for. Its a lot of work, but she finds it fun and learing about so many things was always a pluse in her book. Even if some of it was mind numbing like nothing else and made her want to watch wall paint dry.

"They look good to me when I meet them ealier, it even looks like Branch got to sleep for a full night of peace. I just wish I was able to get hold of Elma sooner. That woman is hard to track down."

"It's fine dad. Am just glad we got her now. She's going to be needed for a long time to help us with Branch."

"Wait what? Whos Elma? And why is Branch with her?" Satin asked. She's not the only one thats confused, while those that meet her yesterday knows who she is, since some of them shops at her place or know her reputation, they are equle confused why Branch is with the elder.

"Oh yeah neither I nor dad told you guys about this. Miss Elma is Branch legal foster parent and the owner of Shop n' Drop." Poppy happly awnsers back, she'd been a bit worried that Branch was not in her pod last night, but she knows that her dad have people that Poppy can trust when it comes to get the much needed help they need now. Elma taking Branch in for a week or two was a good thing she still worried which she's been told from many others that it is total normal given the strange and rightout insane things that had happened.

"WHAT?!? Branch's foster parent!?" Poppy winch at their outburst, she well aware of their shock is coming from good reasons, but that slight dark look on her father's face is something she's used to see when people had bad reactions of either Branch or something else. Her dad have never been able to feel that he did enough for Branch, feeling its his fault that Branch went through dose hardships through out his childhood, thanks to the fact he was only able to give Branch very little of the much needed help. Poppy takes a hold of her dad's hand, a small smile on her face. "Take a breath dad. They don't mean to be mean. You know them as well as I do that they all hate being mean without good reasons." It seems to do the trick, her dad claming down.

"Sorry everyone. Its a sore point for me." Her dad say. Everyone just nods, knowing full well that Peppy dose not mean to be angry at them on purpose.

"Its all right King Peppy." Guy said." If am honest, I'm glad that Branch actually have someone that was willing to look after him turing all those years. Its much better than all the rumors that we all heard turing our childhood." Guy was true in those words, while the Snack Pack have believed some of the rumors that been spread around Branch from a earlier age, non of them believed them all. Some of them was just to far fetch or rightout bizarre to believe, while others made more sense everyone, beside Creek turing those years, would agree that only 2 of 10 rumors was true about Branch at the best. Beside, Poppy had on multiple occasions asked Peppy about some of these rumors when they all were either with eachother and he was keeping an eye on them or tell them the next day that the rumor was false and " stupid fear ridden words coted lies" when she'd asked him at home.

"It also explains how she manged to stop Branch with her voice alone. They have a deep bond and trust that having her now is only gonna give us way more room to help Branch with all this blasted nonsense." Biggie says. Its way out his normal behavior or usual mood, but Biggie is sure that everyone in the room are just wants to get this over with. They all know to their best that the longer things go on like this, the more trouble they are just asking for. Trouble that neither they nor Branch can afford for all they know.

"You got that right sugar." Smidge says. "So Suki what news do you have for us?" Smidge asks, while useing her hair to move a chair for Peppy to use, as the elder gets close to where she sits. Getting a nod and thank you from him.

Suki just sigh and looks a her friends" I got both a lot and next to nothing to be honest." Looking around her she can tell that non had like that, but she continues on." For starters, both Gristle and Bridget was shocked and scared at the news and beyond confused at the situation that we are having. Though Gristle was quick to get both the royal head librarian and towns head libararian to take a look of the drawing and see if they know of any books that has the flower. Neither of them was sure, but they are going through every book they have as we speak. We should have a letter from them via Barnabus in a few days to the end of next week how that search is going. Also, Miss Garr is calling a cousin of her's that might give us some more help in the history department. Mr Bargen has most likely send a letter to a friend of his thats a wandering herbelist about the situation to see if they know anything by now. Though its likely that it will take weeks or months before we hear anything on that front."

Taking a deep breath she continues on." And until we know whether or not theres more of those damn flowers spread around between our village and the town, no Bergen is alowed to visit. Which as Bridget told me wont be much of a problem for the Bergens as they are aberrantly able to lock themself in their own homes for weeks on end, coming only out when they need to get more food, then lock themself up again without a second thought. So we don't need to worry about that for now."

"Thats good to know. I'll have to send a return letter once Barnabus here and we might have gotten something from out own bookkeepers." Poppy says, relief clear as day in her voice and on her face. She hoped their own bookkeepers have found something by now but she knows they are struggling. They had been very luckly that the tree that they have stored all books that they have, with even records and birth papers in it, had not been hit nor burned down when Barb had showed up. It was a enough mess from before the attack since they had just gotten all the missing books, records and papers that was left behind a month before. And with the reval of what they had learned about the Strings and the Separation caused by May Pop had made everyone of their   
bookkeepers and recordkeepers wonder how much of their own records was true. Hopefully the other leaders wont mind them go through some of theirs just incase theres no other choice."Anything else Suki?"

"Not much. Other than most of Bergen town being utter bumbed about the visit ban and being scared out of their mind of a possible dangerous flower that will deage someone to a child and getting a major memorie loss. Theres not much else. Beside a story that Girstle and Bridget told me about that might give us some clues."

"What story?" Cooper asked.

"Okay before I begin, King Peppy?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you heard of a story involving about something called a 'Fountain of Youth'?"

"I fear I do not Suki." Peppy tells her after a moment of thought.

"Well heres is what I was told and I must warn everyone, while this story is a favorite among many of the Bergens, its far from great. Long long ago there existed kingdome in a country know for its peace, trade, traditions and alchemy. In that kingdome lived a alchemist who was obsessed with something know as 'Water of Life'. A special type of liquid water, that only the best of alchemists can make, know for not only its power to heal any wound and cure any poison that the water touched, but also know to be one of the base ingredients to something know as the 'Philosopher's Stone'. When and why this alchemist started his obsession is unknow, but his obsession soon grew to both a deadly and mad one after he had found a discovery of some sort of a until then unknow use of the liquid. That of granting someone immortality and a body of youth. As well as the possibility to bring someone back from the dead as a true living breathing being. Without the need or the help from a 'Philosopher's Stone' to do it."

Gasps fills the air as they listen, eyes filled with wounder and curiosity, and as Suki sees in Poppy, hope. It pains Suki to see it but she continues on knowing that they all needed to hear the full story. Her voice taking on a sorrowful tone."However, this discovery proved to be one of near impossibility, danger, death, and new life. See the alchemist before he became the one they would all call 'Madman of the Dame' once his work was complete, was once a married man with children of his own. Whos loved ones had perished years ago, of what no one remembers, but theres was no doubt that the loss he felt was one he never recovered from, and when he found a way to bring them all back, he took it. Decades followed, were he gathered what he needed, studying to find the materials he needed and were to find them, finding out how to do it, building a garden filled with life and a fountain made of the whites stone and most golden gems. Hidden from preying eyes and slippery ears. He made several potions, each a ingredient for what was needed to make it work, drinking a much weaker verson of the water that will grant the powers of immortality and youth to keep himself going. Ten dozen empty monuments above on a platform build around the fountain, were unpond he would put a statue on each, children once alive in their own right now turned to living stone forever asleep, would cry into the fountain once complete to fill it with tears of youth."

Suki can tell, while they are all listening the story, dread and fear fills the air. One that non like, but they can not stop the story, for the chance of finding something to help Branch is needed dearly. Taking a sip from one of the glasses Biggie had brought with him as well as drink, to cool and calm her tailpipes before she continued on.

"He did this for centuries, once he had find the place, dug up his loved ones and sealed them in spesical coffins to keep them close and ready, and not decay or turned to dust, made sure that non would find him nor recognize him when he need to go to the kingdome he once called home. Gathering the children that meet the criteria and attributes needed from all over the country he lived in, most come from commen people, but the last 2 dozen needed to be of royal blood. All ten dozen children needed to be of equal genders, 60 boys 60 girls, 24 of them royalty, 12 princes and 12 princesses and so on. Finding trees that would alow him to gather fruits of light and hunt deers whos antlers made of crystals could make potions were wounds and illness go away within hours to minutes. And make the purest form of Water of Life to use. Each month he came closer, for each year he could feel that he would successed even when small wars would break out and delay him by months if not years and his country would shift to more darker sides and then peace again. For he had almost all the time he needed to get it done. However on the day that his work was finally done and to bear fruit. His end came.

For you see, decades or maybe even a centurie or two before the fountain was done, kings, queens, lords, ladys and holy men began to see not only a patteren of missing people but unsolved murders of entire familys or even towns. And after a very deadly war that left several areas lifeless some time after the alchemist had gotten his 47th victim, he became careless and left clues. Clues that not only made them more and more worried but also gave them anwsers to some of the most horrific slaughterers to ever happen in their country. And when they finally learned the truth and what the alchemist had almost finished decades before it was done, they formed a team of heroes, that would only do whats good for the people, to take him down for good. The hidding place was not easy to find, hidden away in a vast forest filled with mountains small and large and creatures that only the dark would love. But they found it. The battle that came to be as soon as they came intime to see the alchemist prepared the ritual to bring his family back, was far from easy and by the end of it only 3 heroes was left alive, the alchemist dead on the marble ground meters away from the fountain."

As Suki stops to calm her tailpipes and get her breath back, she dose not need to look at any of her friends or Peppy's face to know just how much this story had disturbed them to the core as the room silent tells it all. As she sits down on a chair letting them all digest the story, she waits for the questions to start. She knows its not the full story, knowing its best she tell the rest to Poppy and Peppy in private once the rest of the Snack Pack was gone. She hates doing this, but Gristle had told her that it was for the best to not tell the whole story before she had both Poppy's and Peppy's blessing. As according to him, with all the new things that have happened these few months and what has happened to Branch only a few days ago, it may be way to much for most of them, much less the rest of the people of Pop Village to hear this one. However is clear that Gristle knew what he was talking about, as she sees them all in variety of fear, shock and utter bafflement at the story. Glad that neither her niece nor Tiny was here to hear this story whats so ever. Peppy however seem to be the one that had no problem taking to this story, no doubt thanks to living through hell for 45 years as made him more robust in stuff like this, since his the first to aks her after a while.

"What happened after that Suki? Surely they did not just leave after they killed him?"

"No they did not. They first tried to destroy the fountain, which ended up killing one of the 3 remaining heroes, as the alchemist had put several ruinic barriers around the fountain that would not only fix or hinder anything that tried to damage it, but also kill anything as well. Waking the childern up or turing them back to noraml was not a option either, as many of them been like this for untold centuries, fusing their souls permantly to their new body. Not even the once that was 'newly' made could be turned back to normal, as even when they found all of the alchemist's documents and research could not tell them how to fix or rescue them. In the end, they sealed the place and placed something called 'Golems' around the forest. Huge mindless beings of magic that use things like clay, stone, marble, crystals, gems, water, fire, earth, wind or even lightning for bodys to move and gurad the place they palced on. After that was done they burned all papers, notes, documents, records and research so that non would try this again. Then they made sure that it became very hard to find the forest by faking maps, rebuild or reshaped places to make it harder to spott. They did this in hopes that no one with greed, evil or dangerous intentions would find the place, as having a immortal young body would be far to dangerous to someone like that."

"I see." Is all she gets back fro the former King.

After some time everyone soon began to talk again once they all gotten their shock out of their system, not only about the story they been told but also what to do, on Branch ability to dangerously hurt or even kill someone to what they are going to tell the other leaders and if the story gave them anything to go on. This went on for a good 2 hours, with the only headway being that Peppy is going to talk to Elma about the problem Branch could make now with this ability and they all agreeing that Branch should not be alone for long periods of time and keep anyone else that could effortlessly piss Branch of with no sweat. Creek of course being on top of that list. Small arguments and shouts would come up as they talked, mainly from some things that would make this worst as they revisit some of their earlier plans to see if those were any help.

"As I told you already Biggie, that wont work at all!" Satin said to him, her tone more than a little annoyed but she's not angry at her friend.

"I know that alright, but what else can we do when we all know just how the Country don't like lies or half truths for that matter! The Rock trolls are no better either, if anything they are even worst!" He shot back at her.

"I'm not gonna argue against that, but still. There must be a better way to-"

"Maybe we could to some sort of 50/50?" Came fro Cooper as Satin and Biggie continues to half talk half shout at each other. However he is not heared at all.

"ALRIGHT EVERYONE!" Poppy shouts her hands claps together as hard as she can. Stopping all the talking/shouting that was in the room.

"Lets take a five and calm down. This is getting us no-"

/BANG CRASH\ "Poppy are you here?!?" Comes a pair of voices they all recognize. Looking who had just barged in, they see Harper and Dickory whom both looked as frantic as a agitated snake. Something drops in their hearts as Poppy asked "Whats going on?"

"Its Branch Poppy! He's gone!" Harper says.

"WHAT?!?"

"We can't find him anywere!" Dickory soon says.

"OH no oh no oh no. Quick everyone, move out! The meeting can wait until we find him!" Poppy quickly said and faster than Dickory or Harper could blink everyone except for Peppy and Smidge is out of the room. Runing at a speed that Dickory thought they had the devils on their heels.

A sigh is soon heard, Peppy having let it out. He looked so tried and as Harper helps Smidge down from her chair Peppy says" Harper, could you please help Smidge home for now? I'll send Blaze to her once we have found Branch. Dickory, your with me. Let's go find our missing grouch.


	6. choices to be made, plans to take flight part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First and formost, thanks Undertaleuniverse for the song list it was really helpful. Second, am mostly recovered from the flu, only light headachs and a sore throat left so my chapters are hopefully going to be done a lot faster. Third, enjoy the story and I'll see you'all next chapter.

About 20 minutes earlier before everyone gotten to know about Branch's disappear, down in the bunker.

*Aaand I found another empty room with no way up again. By the trumpets handle, how can one troll make such a huge underground bunker? This is insane.* Are just some of the thoughts that currently going through Darnell's mind as he found himself once again in a half finished room, that if he were to guess was for either storage or another work room, which had at least another hall at the other side of it that made Darnell sag with relife at seeing. One might wounder what he was doing down in the bunker and seems to be lost? It all started when Cooper found out before he went to the meeting that he'd forgotten to get some of the stuff that he had left behind at the bunker since his new pod was done, there was a limited to what he could take with him due to a weight limited new pods seems to have. Which Darnell, Essence and Quincy had found weird at first when they were helping him packing, until they got told why. Pods are made of the Pop trolls magic like hair and the weight limited comes from how long it takes for the pod to get used to more heavyer weights over time as too much too soon would cause the pod to collapse, tear it self apart faster than one could blink or just right out drop it self whole and hel without notice. Which was far from ideal as 9 out 10 pods are in trees and unless your were either a Pop, Classical or Jazz troll that could swing, fly or float away from the danger, you'll fall to your death. Both Essence and Quincy had almost fainted at the news and dared not to touch anything afterwards until Cooper gave them the go ahead when he'd finished sorting the things he could take with him and what Branch needed to put into the temporary storage room sett up for trolls to come get more of their stuff back when the pod was ready for more.

Though Cooper along with Branch had quickly told them that Pop trolls only used top quality hair and only those that build pods for 10 years or more was alowed to make them, which ment that all pods that was made only by skilled hands and the size of the pod was also a factor that alowed a much stronger weight limited. Cooper had showed them a picture taken with him and his friends inside and outside at his old pod, courtesy of Poppy who had hid many of her photo books in Branch bunker without him somehow knowing it, before it had burned down. It was according to Cooper one of the normal pod types one troll could choice for themself when living alone, which was not much in their opinion as it only had about three rooms, a bedroom, a small bathroom and kitchen/living area togheter. The new pod was way bigger than his old one as Cooper had asked the builders to make a bigger living room with a door to the kitchen, two new guest rooms and one more bigger bathroom. This was so he could host them as well as uncle Lownote, Rhtytm and Blues should they need it or just wanted to hang out. And while Cooper had a way higher limited he had before when he'd gotten his old pod, he was taking no chances as he knew very well that the new furniture would take up most of that weight limited. Something non of them was arguing against.

Anyways, when Cooper had remembered that and done a quick search around his home, he'd found out he could get at least one more box of much needed appliances to his kitchen and since Darnell had not much to do this afternoon he said he could go get it for him. It was only one box and all things in there was light weigthed anyway so his sprained leg would not be any worst than it was yesterday. And while Darnell had not been in the bunker as much as Cooper have, he knew were look for the craved maps that Branch have made all over the bunker. So it would not be much of a problem for him once Cooper told him which floor to be in and which rooms to look out for. Or at least it should not have been. At that thought Darnell stops a bit and looks at the hall his in. Despite that he is truly tired of being down here for who knows how long and lost, he could not help remember the first time he'd seen the bunker, which had been when Poppy had found out that Barb had only gotten 3/4 of residents of the Pop village. And since not only Poppy needed to see if everyone of her people was alright but Barb needed to see just how much damage had been done to the forest and how many Pop trolls was hurt so the Rock queen was able to find out how much help was needed from the Rock trolls, Poppy had manged to convince a very reluctant Branch for all the leaders to take a tour of the bunker when the rest of them had showed interest. And man, what a tour it was.

12 floors in all, some which are not yet finished, makes the bunker way bigger than it needed for the Pop trolls to use, however it seems to be for future generations from what they all could tell. Harden dirt, mud and roots holds the walls and ceiling together. With every hall, most rooms and areas having support beams and pilliars, with some gateways as well, made of a type of wood that came from a type of tree found in the forest thats natural harder to rot, very resistance to fire and pestilence and have very good endurance thats been through a spesical treatment that not only enchant the woods natrual attributes but also makes them better suited for heavy buildings like the stadium and underground bunkers as they can take quite the beating, and depending on the damage it could take weeks to months before something like a caving manged to break them in half. The places that did not have this wood as support beams or pillars, had instead a homemade sandstone the Pop trolls makes from ground up through a spesical method and treatment of their own that makes them insanely endurable enough to take a tungsten steel sledgehammer, courtesy of Sid whom after he gotten Branch's less than happy go ahead to try it and gone and gotten it from one of the angle busses, with barely a scratch and promptly make Sid faint after a soild 10 minutes of shaking after absorbing the shock of the impact. Some rooms even had their walls made of the sandstone, especially the rooms that hold the water tanks or the gaint heaters that kept the bunker warm and cozy, as according to Poppy the stone was mainly used for their aqueducts that transported the riverwater around the village and the roofs and walls of the blacksmith houses as they were great with swerdling high temperatures and very water proof for sandstone.

Though Barb could not help herslef when she shouted at Poppy and Branch, confusen clear as day in her voice." WHY THE HELL HAVE YOU GUYS NOT USED THE WOOD AND STONE TO MAKE A FUCKING WALL OR SOMETHING TO HAVE AT LEAST SOME MORE DEFENCES IN THIS PLACE?! THIS STUFF WOULD MAKE EVEN SOME OF THE BUILDERS BACK HOME CRY FROM FRUSTATION AND MAKE MY GUNERS PULL THEIR HAIR OFF FROM THE SHEER TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO DESTROY THIS STUFF! NOT EVEN THE METAL WALLS BACK HOME ARE THIS STRONG!! AND WE LIVE WITH A GODDAMN FUCKING ASS VOLCANO RIGHT AT OUR DOOR STEP!?!" However before she could go on further she stopped when she saw that Branch had stiffen like a frozen lake with eyes the size of dinner plates and shorten breaths, while Poppy seems to have gone a few shades pale but she's more fouces on her boyfriend to really care has she tries to clam him down. After a few minutes Poppy had told her once she's sure Branch was not going to panic "Barb as much as I love to tell you why, this neither the time nor the place for it. Also I fear you may not like the anwser to your question." The look on Poppy's face was that of someone who have told some very bad news many many times and was expecting to do so for rest of her life. It had been such a strange sobering look on her that Barb had said "Sorry" and never asked again. The tour had continued soon after once Branch was calm enough to continue.

Then it came to the vents and pipes, were the heat went through a amazing and very effective vent system along with the pipe system to heat the water or transport the water to the bathrooms and kitchen sinks for that matter. The vents systems that transported the fresh air through out the place was not something to sniff at either as it was incredible easy to make and maintain but could be a utter pain to fix at times according to Branch when dad had asked him about it. The lights was in Darnell's opinion the most variant in the bunker. From living underground flowers that was easy to use for living quarters, kitchens, library and some craft rooms to firefly oil powered and electricity powered lamps for rooms like works areas, freeze rooms, bedrooms to the few playgrounds thats in the bunker. All the light sources had, expect the flowers whom had some very hard yet refined clay pots to could take a beating, fortified glass and metal to help not only keping the light from going out but also protected them anything that was flammable material from catching on fire and people from getting hurt. Though the once Darnell found the most interesting was the lamps in the storage rooms that had these very special crystal lamps that Branch had made himself and would not give up any blueprints. The lamps was like they could feel or sense moved or life itself and as long as someone was near they'll stay lit and only when someone was out of range would they turn off. The only thing Branch had said about them was that they were hard to make but have so far lasted almost 7 years without him having to switch them yet. Which meant whatever Branch had done and used to make them had a really long lifetime for a light source. Something Darnell's and Cooper's mom had wanted to have, not only for how useful they would be back home for workers that needed a good light source when they had to go deeper down in the ship for repairs and maintains, but the colours was so varied and pretty that no doubt they would also make excellent light sources in some of the palaces rooms as well, but their mom would have no need to go through another mind numbing math problem of how much it was going to cost to replaces the old lamps every few months. It was one of Essence LEAST favorite things to do in their home.

The ways to go to and fro in this bunker were numerouse to say the least. With stairs, ladders, trapdoors, three elevators, railroads in some few places and slides to go up and down made it both easy and effective, at least to the Pop trolls, and also somewhat confusing. Though Branch have placed them all in places that makes it so that the only way for someone to crash into one and another was if they were trying to do it. Which was not easy at all. And when the tour had been over and Poppy have been asked if they could meet the builders and engineers of the bunker. She had pointed at Branch and said "Oh no we don't have a team of builders or engineers working on this building at all. Branch the one that have build this place since he was 8 years old." Now THAT had made them all look at Poppy as if she was crazy and stop joking. But as it turned out, Branch was the one that had build the bunker all by himself. Which had earned him nothing but respect from them. Though one thing Darnell would have loved to asked Branch back than was why the hell did he have secret wall doors with slides in them when he had the chance! Which was why Darnell was lost at the moment after he manged to actived one when he leand on it to give his sprained leg a break, and then only to fall through the wall and slide down to one of the unfinished floors. Luckly there where a soft and safe landing when the slide stopped, but still it was far from a funny ride in the Funk prince opinion.

As Darnell continues to walk forward after that thought, he can't help but think how this week have been. From his twin teaching and showing him around now that some of the village is restored to finding out that Poppy, Hickory and Dickory had found a flower that could deage someone and turn them grey, and that Branch was the unfortunate victim. Crazy was a understatement of the century for all that have happened this week and it had been scary as hell thoughout the whole ordeal. Though if he is honest it wasn't the deage part that scared him the most, even though its freaky as fuck to see a grown man turned to a child just from a flower, but it was the fact that Branch turned grey that scared him and made him dread the following days ahead. His not sure if Pop trolls knows this but trolls that turns grey often die within a week to a year, and none of the deaths are pretty. From hanging to self starvation and mutilation, it was far from great to see a troll become such a shell of their former self and see them slowly damage themself like it was the only thing they could do to feel useful. He'd learned about this when he was 16, when he found out that he was missing a twin thanks to a bird and both his mom and dad had almost lost their harmony thanks to that. Had it not been for the care they received from family, friends and subjects alike, Darnell is sure the only way he would have know anything about his family would be through storys and what uncle Lownote would tell him as he would have been the one to raise him should that have ever happened. Though according to uncle Lownote, had it not been for the fact that they had him as well, they would have not survived at all. As for a parent losing their children before they even meet them was one of the crulest thing to happen.

The thought of his uncle makes Darnell wish he was here right know. While Lownote was the most chill and coolest person, beside his dad, he would most likely know what the hell is going on, even help them find some clues or help them with keeping Branch from going on a rampage. Before he became a ambassador and when he was younger, he'd travled far around visiting mountains and seas. Gone through forests thick with danger and looked for treasures that he would bring back home, many of said treasures have help Vibe City in becomeing much better for her people. But he was back at home, helping mom and dad with a bounch of paperwork and other much more problematic stuff that Darnell would not have been able to help with. Not that he haddn't done his share work himself. Darnell had helped were he can, from checking onpond places and people and delivering messages until their communications stations was up and running again till helping with the physical work of getting debries out of the way, Darnell feels his been doing a good job. It had helped that Barb had kept her promise and send good Rock trolls to help with the rebuilding as well. Darnell may not like her very much, and it was no wounder why, but like his mom and dad, he was not gonna say no to someone who was trying to fix their mistakes. And to Barb's credibility, she knew very well what she'd have done had put her on very bad ground for many of the troll leaders.

Though the Pop trolls had been a exception to this, to a degree. Don't get them wrong, they were utterly mad at the damage done to their home, which was justifide in more ways than one. But Rock trolls hold grudges like no other, not even death seems to take those grudges away, and they had seen it as their right and fit to utterly and brutaly destroy the place. More so than any other troll tribes home infact. But when Barb and her crew had done a damage control check, they had found they gone way too overbord even by their standers. A good quarter of the home trees was so destroyed that they have more use as fire fuel than anything, only one river was not dried up or contaminated with old wasted oil tanks or petrol, farms and other food sources that was near bye was either ash or contaminated as well and there were huge heaps of ash that turned out to be importent herbs and flowers that keeps most deadly predators away from the village. And lets not get started on how many holes there were in the ground, giant scrap metal and the smell that was there made many gag on a constant basis trying not to hurl. And that was only half of it for Funks sake! If it was not for the bunker and some of the hidden storeage house still being intact, one could say goodbye to the Pop trolls as a whole. Safe to say, the Rock trolls had been more than a little ashamed, and it have only been pure utter dumb luck that the only physical damage the Pop trolls had sustain was broken bones at the worst and the Troll Tree had survived the fire somehow as according to Poppy they could not afford another new Troll Tree yet. Which was a bit strange, as the original tree was still alive which made them wounder why they had two, but no Pop troll wanted to live in the old tree anymore. Why it was like that they did not tell and trying to pry the anwser out of them would not do anyone good. Barb had immediately started on the useless trees and getting the oil and petrol tanks out of the water as a start, and made sure that the Pop trolls had extra food and water to go on incase it would take longer then expected to be done. As the Pop trolls could not really start any rebuilding until the Rock trolls had cleaned up the things the Pop trolls had no idea how to clean up. Things like motor oil and petrol was rightout unkown for these people that lived in the forest, and no one wanted to them doing something dangerous with the stuff thanks not knowing what to do.

So other than that, the Pop trolls had been suprisingly forgiving to the Rock trolls, which in all honesty was weird and strange in many trolls opinion. Cooper had tried to explain it to them all, but there was clearly something that stops him from giving them a full explanation without walking on some landmine. At least it felt like it. Both Poppy and Cooper had apologies time and time again when the theme comes up, whether it be by them or by someone else, and from the small bits they had manged to put togheter there seems to be some distrust in whatever it is thats stops a Pop troll from talking about it. Another thing that made it strange was just how effective the trolls were at cleanups and disaster relief. They been quicker at their cleanup than the other tribes, even though it was going to take longer than the other tribes to get everything fixed, and any relief control was done in a blink of a eye. It had made them all wounder just how often Pop trolls had to go through this kind of thing on a basis.

*Though it seems that we may get the anwser soon.* Darnell can't help but think as he walks to a ladder, glad that he found a way up, now all he needed was hoping it was one those ladders that had a map beside them after he climbed it. And he almost wooped in joy when is saw the craved map. After few mintues of studying it and him walking to were he needed to be, he heard something that have become commen for him to hear. A childs crying, a very very familiar childs crying. And it was coming from the hall beside him. * Oh no* is all that comes to mind as he turns around and follow the sound. Hoping he is just hearing things, but knowing that he is most likely not as the sound gets louder the closer he gets. and soon he hears a voice that confirming his fears, and that fear became stronger has he hears what it has to say. Words of " No no no no" " My fault my fault" " Shouldn't be" and many other words that makes his heart squeeze itself in dread. As he rounds a corner he can see some light coming out from a room in the rater dark hall and the crying was coming out from there as well. However when he sees in, a gasp of horror and shock comes out of his mouth at what he sees.

There in the corner sat Branch, holding in his left hand a sharp bloody glass shard over his right arm. Said arm is dripping blood from both small and big wounds, many of them are most likely deep as well if the small pool on the floor was anything to go by and how much was on the dress Branch was wearing. Darnell just feel his heart drop down to his feets as Branch flinched at the sound he'd heard from the Funk prince, the look of fear, pain and sadness as well as the tear stains on his face made it all the worst as Branch looked up at him. All is quiet as they stare at eachother the air around them a sobber and tense one.

"Oh Branch" is all Darnell can say when he finds his voice again and all Branch do to that is cruled himself to a ball and start crying again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
About a good 1 hour and 45 minutes later later. And one frantic search as well.

*I'm not panicing I'm not panicing I'm not- oh fuck it! I am panicking!* Poppy's head seems to have finally come to a agreement with itself as she, Biggie and Holly see the others come runing to the meeting place that they have agreed to meet in about an hour when they have all spread out to search for Branch after Peppy and Elma manged to get them all togeter and get a plan in action. In all honesty every troll in the village was looking for him as well as no one wanted to lose him right now or getting killed as the plant barrier was not yet full finished. Her dad and Miss Elma was not here yet, but no doubt they would be soon. As some of her friends stops, some whom fall to the ground while trying to get their breaths back, Poppy feels her heart trying to kill itself again as none of them have Branch with them. And whats worst is that she know she's overlooking something on were to look for Branch. Which is ironic in itself as Branch himself have told her that whenever she gets to high on any emotion, which happens quiet often thanks to that she always have high reactions on this more than most trolls those, her brain seems to shutdown parts of herself that would more often than not help her look or remember things that was as easy to think of when one thought just a little about it.

"An-an-anyone find him y-yet?" Comes from Rhythm whos on the ground looking more than a little winded her sister Blues not doing much better, the both of them was never to much into physical fitness as they never had to much worry of their strength, endurans or weight as other Funk trolls do, especially other woman for that matter, but after today their both going to up that up once they found Branch. Most of these people could outrun them pretty fast, even Biggie and he was no light weight for that matter yet he could easily run well for his type, so both of them had felt that they needed a better workout should this be a recurring thing to happen if what they heard from Elma before she and Peppy had gone looking for Branch in hidding places that those eldery trolls knew best were at, was that it was a very commen thing for Branch to do at this age, and with him being grey this matter was far from good. And if Rhythm was a betting woman, she's betting Blues was already thinking on a plan to find a way to track Branch down with a tracker once they've caught him.

"No."

"Nada."

"Not a single clue."

"Nope."

More negative words comes out, none having any idea where Branch is. Frustration and fear start to rise again, as well as anger but they don't fouces on that right now as they all try to think of were to look for the missing grump next. Suki and Biggie is trying to keep Poppy calm, whom clearly on the egde of a panic attack and tears of frustration as she tries to think of something. Hickory is getting help from his big brother and Baby Bun, whom along with her sisters had come for a viste and then suddenly being part of the search group when they had gotten to know Branch was missing and the village was in a uproar about it, to help him keep clam as well. The Yodelling/Country troll was not having a easy time however, which Blues should know as she'd manged, by accident she might add, hear about how the troll have a hard time being near trolls that have lost their harmony thanks something happing in the past. What that was though Blues never asked, she just apologize to him and his sister when she had made herself know to them. As she and Rhytm manged to get back on their feets again without feeling like their lungs was buring, Holly suddenly asked "Where's Prince D? I've haven't seen him all day."

"Oh he went down into the bunker to ge-" Cooper cuts himself off when he started to answer Holly. He's along with the rest of the Snack Pack's eyes widens all at the same time as a look of understanding hits them. There is silent for a brief moment before they all screams in horror " WE FORGOT TO CHECK THE BUNKER!!!" and then they race down the way to it. Not bothering to use their hair to get there faster, which for Hickory, Dickory, Rhythm, Blues, Holly, Val, Demo and the K-Pop Gang makes it easier to follow after them, dodging other trolls whom are also running around looking for Branch, calling out his name or lifing rocks, checks bushes and what not trying to find him before something bad happens. By the time they all reach the bunker, they stop to catch their breaths again, even the Snack Pack needs a moment as they have pretty much run a marathon to get there as the bunker is somewere at the edge of the other side of the village were they had been before. And before Poppy rightout tore the 'door' that blocked the way to the bunker or the big stone that Branch used as a cover and roof for the first 'room', Hickory, Dickory, Cooper and Suki manged to stop her before she did something really stubid while trying to tear the door and stone away. That said poppy was far from happy about that, but a quick look that was sour and angry enough and Dickory's and Suki's words of " Do that and you'll end up making so much noise Branch going to go into a panic attack should he hear it." and " Are you mad lass?! Your going to bury the lad alive if his down there for heavens sake!" was all that was needed for her to calm down and realize that it was far from the best idea and just how much wrong that could happened. Which if Branch was right here and his normal self would have screamed at her jut how stupid that idea was and how much trouble she would be in if she so much as tried it. Unless it was a real emergency, then all Branch would do is look at her with irritation and say " Your helping with the clean up."

After they got the door open and walked to the first floor of the bunker, they all start hearing singing and small quite sobs when they near one of the stairs to the second floor as they start their search. and as thye get down the stairs they recognize voice, its Darnell's and from the sound and tone made many of them worried. The quiet sobs was most likely from Branch and Poppy just feels dread coming in her as they all follow the sound. And when they run a corner and look into the room right infront of them, there Darnell is holding Branch in a light yellow blanket, walking to and fro while singing to him and not caring that his still braced leg would give him trouble later on. Its clear his only fouces is on the trolling in his arms, and thuse dose not realize that theres an audience looking at them. And as he beings to sing a new song no one is willing stop him, the feeling that Branhc needs to the song and the sight they are all seeing makes none of them want to interrupt them.

I've been on the low  
I been taking my time  
I feel like I'm out of my mind  
It feel like my life ain't mine  
Who can relate?

I've been on the low  
I been taking my time  
I feel I'm out of my mind  
It feel like my life ani't mine

I don't wanna be alive  
I'don't wanna be alive  
I just wanna die  
I don't wanna be alive  
I don't wanna be alive  
I just wanna die  
And let me tell you why

Before Darnell continues he looks down at Branch, a small sad smile is all the prince give to the trolling whom is looking at him with tear filled eyes and tear stained face. A questioning look comes on his face as the prince continues, the slight tilled of his head is easy to see even from where the others are standing.

All this other shit I'm talkin' 'bout they think the know it  
I've been praying for somebody to save me, no one's heroic  
And my life don't even matter

I know it I know it I know it I'm hurting deep down but can't show it  
I never had a place to call my own  
I never had a home

Ain't nobody callin' my phone  
Where you been? Where you at? What's on you mind?  
They say every life precious but nobody care about mine

Hickory, Dickory, Rhythm, Blues, Holly, Val, Demo and the K-Pop Gang all see Poppy and the Snack Pack flinch at each word that comes out. A look of shame, guilt and slight anger falls on the group as well, making the others wounder just what this song is stirring in the gang that are for the most part a happy go lucky bounch every day of the week, night and day. They don't get much time to think though as the song go's on.

I've been on the low  
I been taking my time  
I feel like I'm out of my mind  
It feel like my life ain't mine  
Who can relate?

I've been on the low  
Ibeen taking my time  
I feel like I'm out of my mind  
It feel like my life ain't mine

I want you to be alive  
I want you to be alive  
You don't gotta die today  
You don't gotta die  
Iwant you to be alive  
I want you to be alive  
You don't gotta die  
Now lemme tell you why

The surprised look that fall on Branch face is all Darnell needs as he sings more. The sad smile on his becoming one of a more happy type, but still a bit sad. A glint in the prince eyes seems to take Branch attention for a brief moment before the trolling looks back at the teen before him again. His ears move more forward as if to catch the word that comes next.

It's the very first breath  
When your head's been drowing underwater  
And it's the lightness in the air

When you're there  
Chest to chest with a lover

It's holding on, though the road's long  
And seeing ligh in the darkest things

And when you stare at your reflection  
Finally knowing who it is  
I know that you'll thank God you did

I know where you been, where you are, where you goin'  
I know you're the reason I believe in life

What's the day without a little night?  
I'm just tryna shed a little light

It can be hard  
It can be so hard

But you gotta live right now  
You got everything to give right now

Branch lets one of his arms out, though in Darnell's opinion is glad is not the injured one, and take a hold of the prince chest fur as if he was checking if the teen was real. A somewhat understanding falls on the trollings face followed soon by peace. Then a slight yawn comes out of him and then begins to doze off as the last of the song is song.

I've been on the low  
I been taking my time  
I fleel like I'm out of my mind  
I feel like my life ain't mine  
Who can relate?

I've been on the low  
I been taking my time  
I feel like I'm out of my mind  
It feel like my life ain't mine

I finally wanna be alive  
I finally wanna be alive  
I don't wnna die today  
I don't wanna die  
I finally wanna be alive  
I finally wanna be alive  
I don't wanna die  
I don't wanna die

Pain don't hurt the same, I know  
The lane I travel feels alone  
But I'm moving 'til my legs give out  
And I see my tears melt in the snow

But I don't wanna cry  
I don't wanna cry anymore  
I wanna feel alive  
I don't even wanna die anymore  
Oh I don't wanna  
I don't wanna  
I don't even wanna die anymore

And the end of the song Darnell finally noitce the others, a look of shock and suprise comes on his face, but he quickly walks to them, being careful in not waking Branch up. Before anyone gets to say anything, Darnell carefully holds Branch out to Poppy, the now lose grip that Branch have on Darnell's chest fur give easily away, and as soon as she gets a hold of Branch the look of relief that was on her turned in a blink of an eye to horror and shock as a part of the light yellow blanket is coloured in the pink blood all Pop trolls have. She's not the only one that has the look on their face, and after she manged to pleace Branch in her hair, said magenta coloured hair quickly making a cocoon arounf the trolling, before she nods her head at Darnell and race out of the bunker at new speeds. Leaving everyone in the dust.

All that comes out after a brief moment, taht felt way to long, is a sigh from Darnell.

"I am so gonna have a real good talkin' to her once the doctors have patched Branch up." A look of determination was on the Funk prince. But before Cooper manged to awnser is twin in that regard someone in the K-Pop Gang says "Wait a fucking minute! That was Branch?! What the Hell happened to him?! And where has his beat gone?!?"

Another sigh comes out, but this time its from Suki and the fashion twins. " Well my dear friends" Chenille start. "Is a story you wont believe" Satin soon finish for her sister.

" And its only going to get better." Suki says afterwards. A look of confusion falls on everyone expect the Snack Pack.

A head shake from Biggie is all they get soon after followed by " Lets get out of here and get to the Healers Pod. Odds are Poppy have new orders and a plan for all us."

As they all leave, a strange feeling of foreboding falls onpond Hickory, Dickory, Rhythm, Blues, Holly, Val, Demo, Darnell and the K-Pop Gang. And te feeling gets worst when they get to the pod and sees Poppy waiting for them.

" Looks like we have a long talk ahead of us." Is all she says as she sees them. A look of defeat but determined is on the Pop Queens face and it makes everyone thats not part of the Snack Pack gulp. Something told them that they were not gonna like that talk at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
A good two hours later, in a kitchen not far from the meeting room.

As Biggie opens the oven where a good patch of cookies is ready to be put on the tray and on the trolley that already had water, teas and other drinks as well as some light salads and some cooked rice infused with a herb mix that would help any upset stomach and some medicine that he'd gotten before he began to cook that are ready to be brought to the meeting room. The giant blueberry coloured troll can't help but wonder how it is going in the in there, as he had left after he, Copper, Fuzzbert and Legsly had gotten a bounch of half broken chairs that was pilled into a corner, a few extra wastebaskets and some pillowes into the meeting room while Peppy, Suki, Guy, Smidge, Satin and Chenille was telling the K-Pop Gang what was going on and all the others was milling about the room, and as soon as Poppy had come into the room with a stack of very recognized books in her hands, she had asked him if he could be so kind and make some 'refreshments' for them. As he had walked out hearing Poppy saying " Alright everyone lets get this started." Bigge could not help the feeling of sympathy that was washing over him as he knew just what was going to happen in there.

A sigh comes out of him and the feeling of hope, no matter how small it was, that everyone was 'relative' fine at what they were told would not be to much of a shock or horror for them. He'd taken his time in cooking and making drinks, the medicine was in another room a few minutes away from the kitchen and he'd manged to small talk to a old neighbor of his that he'd made on the trip back, and now that everything was ready he beings to walk to the meeting hoping that his stalling had given everyone some of the time they needed to understand what was being told to them. Though from the sound of chairs being thrown into the walls along with pissed off shouting, what sounded like someone was clearly having their stomach emptied and the small bits of crying that could be heard as he neared the room, the giant gental troll knew that he needed to brace himself before opening the door.

The sight that greeted him was not that much of a surpise for him, though if honest it was a lot more controlled than he had thought it would be. Hickory and Darnell where both still sittling in their charis, but Hirckory was currently trying to make some more cracks in the table, white as a sheet with a look that was best described as a mix of horror, shock, disgust, fear and well beyond pissed off. The gritting of his teeth as he looks with pointed eyes at the scrapbook before him says it all just how much it is taking him to not scream out. And if how Dickory, whom had the same look on his face and skin colour as Hickory has, is sitting beside his brother trying to keep clam himself as well, even though he clearly wants to go destroy some chair that Val, Demo, Wani and even Holly is doing right now to steam off, he stays were he sits as soon as one look into his eyes, fear for what his little brother would do stops him from doing so. Though the clear words of " Verdammte Arschlocher und Teufel der Welt", whatever those means, was no doubt cursing to the high heavens and high hells like no one else have ever done before as the tiny Yodeller continues to curse on. Darnell was not doing much better, though he had Cooper in what Biggie could tell was a death hug as it seems that he was slowly realizing how close he was to lose his twin two years ago and what a secret they had kept from him. Cooper for his part is only mildly trying to ease the grip Darnell has on him to avoid getting choked, while at the same time saying nothing but sweet nothings and patting Darnell to help calm him down. A look of resigned acceptance is on him as he bestfriend is no doubt preparing himself to awnser many questions that he can when Darnell finally clams down at was no doubt when their parents gets to know of this to.

In another corner is Kim-Petit kneeling beside Gomdori whom, along with Blues, is throwing up whatever their stomach had in them. Rhythm is beside her sister helping Blues from keeling over as the yellow Funk troll is dry heaving. Both Kim-Petit and Rhythm are both sharing the same concerned looks. Not far from them are Ari and Baby Bun whom are hugging eachother for comfort and security, looking like every Pop trolling that have had their first true story of the Bergens ever told to them, no doubt scared out of their minds and if their slight green colour on their faces had anything to say a little sick as well. As said before, Val, Demo, Wani and Holly was in the corners, where Satin and Chenille was happly giving them the half destroyed chairs while Guy and Fuzzbert was taking the broken pieces into another pille, useing their hair of course as no one was stubid enough to go anywhere near them. Most of the shouting that Biggie had heared on his way here was coming from Val, Demo and Wani, though Holly was by not far from them.

On the table, which had several big and small cracks on it and even handprints and some of the scrapbooks where in pieces, was Poppy, Peppy, Smidge, Suki and Legsly all looking at whats happing with tired eyes. Though Smidge was useing a pillow to sit on instead of a chair and looking rater annoyed, on the table which was a bit strange but Biggie did not think much about it when he saw her chair laying down on the ground and in pieces as well. "Any one hungry?" is what he asked when came near them, getting yes from them all and when they gotten their food and drinks he slowly went around to everyone. Offering food, drinks or medicine and slowly everyone started to get what they needed and went back to the table. Though neither Gomdori or Blues touched any foods, they were greatful for the water and medicine given to them.

"So" Poppy starts slowly. Once everyone is clam and somewhat collected." Any questions?"

"Why did-how did-wha" Holly starts first, words coming out broken before she manged to say waht she wanted, which was unusual as Val was the one to be first in this kinda thing, but just looking at her its clear that dose not dear to speak right now, for fear of something. " Just how can you all be find with this?" is all the Country troll manged to finally say. That casue a small chuckle to come from Poppy, Peppy and the rest of the Snack Pack, which none of the others liked before Peppy awnser her back.

"I don't know how any of your homes or tribes would handle something like this, and I dear not to think about it. But the best words to use for this is quiet simple. Tired and done with it." The looks the former Pop King gets are confusion from the others, which made him chuckle again, though its far form a happy chuckle. " Don't get me wrong, everyone from Elma's and my generations to most of Branch's own generation has far from forgiving them complete and are a lot more angry about that any of you would think." Peppy share a quick look at his daughter to make sure she's not going to interfere him before continue on." We are the only once that can really remember how that life was along with the fear that comes with it, and the Bergens have accepted that fact with flying colours and knows its going to be a long while before a truely peacefull existence can be formed between us. And that takes both sides to truely be at peace with eachother which is not easy with out history with eachother. Beside a entire generation of the Bergens themself have never eaten a troll since our escape 22 years ago and thanks to what Poppy, Branch and their friends manged to do by showing both the old and new generation that eating a troll was not needed for them to feel happy, I and many others would take this as a blessing instead of living in constaded fear for the rest of our lifes not knowing when a new Trollstice would even happen anymore"

Everyone nods at those words and soon Poppy begins to talk as well. " We hoped to wait a year or maybe even two if we were lucky, to prepare this when things where at a more stable point between everyone." A look that was both tired and sad fell on her face at that. " But with all that have happened it would not be possible to wait that long. Not when we know nothing of what can happen with Branch now that he is once again grey. I can't let him go through that again any longer than necessary. Those 20 years that he went through is not going to happen again if I have anything to say about it." Her look soon changed to that of determination, which made everyone feel a bit better. " Are you guys willing to help us in how to tell your leaders about this?"

Everyone looks are eachother, taking the time to think about this. Then Hickory says once they all shared a look of understanding " Were all ears Poppy."

The tears and smile on the Pop Queen was all that was needed to say how greatful she was at hearing that. " Thank you everyon. Thank you"


	7. Stories and truths that came to light, one bad history is only a quarter of a even bigger one to come, someone once said part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter is a lot harder to write than I thought it would be, so here is some of it as I most likely wont be able to write much as soon as the new year begins and my new school year as well my new job start. I'll get started on part 2 a day after this chapter so I can at least get a small head start. Also if you see some hc down in the notes, I'm going to use some of them in part 2, I just wanted you'all to know them a bit first and what part they are going to take in the next chapter.
> 
> I also apologize to any german speakers that are reading this if I got any of the words wrong.
> 
> And a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to everyone!
> 
> * for thought  
> " for speak  
> () this means Fuzzbert or a Fuzzling is talking  
> BIG words means either shouting or screaming  
> ~ means change of pov  
> ¨///// row of these means same pov, just at a diffrent time or place

He is just staring at the little trolling right infront of him, his wife Essence and his brother Lownote, all three having the same stunned, shocked, confused and horrifed looks that they share with the other leaders, the ambassadors as well as Chaz, Tresillo, Marimba and Tambora that are also looking at the trolling that Poppy is holding in her arms. It's not the kid itself that shock any of them, everyone here, besides Poppy, Barb and Trollex, have had kids at some point in their life, whether it was their own or a new niece or nephew. No it was the ash grey skin colour, the very dimed baby blue eyes that had a more grey silver like colour than blue, the dark coal black hair that the kid was sporting was the cause of their reaction as well as the fear and dread that comes soon after when they all notice the bandaged right arm, just confirmed that one of they're suspicions were true. The worst part of it was that the boy looked so familiar to most of them, but they all just struggle to remember why as they all battle the waves of emotions that is crashing at them with unrelenting force. * What the hell happened to him?* is all that cross the Funk King's mind as the little boy gets to the ground after Poppy lets him go, the kid is not letting go of Poppy's dress though as his fists cling to them with an iron grip while looking at them all with the look of confusion, scrutiny and fear as if he is trying to remember them, which just feels wrong somehow. After a few awkward minutes of just staring at eachother, Poppy clears her throat which makes them all blink, but before the Pop Queen can say a word the boys face lit up when he looked at Delta Dawn and pointed at her while saying "I remember you, you're the lady that hates liars and put me in jail that one time!" at that point Lownote's face turns pale as he hears the voice and what is said.

The following words that comes out of Lownote sends everyone off to the edge of almost hysteria. " B-Br-Branch is that you?" is all that Lownote manged to say before everyone screams "WHAT?!?!?!", scaring the boy into hidding behind the Pop Queen from the outbutst and just poking his head out afterwards while slightly glaring at them all. Now they realized what Lownote had just said and when taking a closer look it was indeed the villages survivalist, as the look that Branch was giving them all was the most prominent feature that only one Pop troll in the village can make. They all quickly look back at Poppy, hoping that she could explain just what the hell is going on. The Queens friends the Snack Pack, Darnell, Hickory, Dickory, Rhythm, Blues, Holly, Val, Demo and The K-Pop Gang all share the very strained, tired and sad smile that Poppy is sporting on her face as well.

"Its a long, long story." Is what the young Queen says at first, her voice tired with clear, but resigned acceptance dripping from it as if she has accepted a fate worse than death. " However it would have to wait for tomorrows meeting as we need a bit more time prepareing things. Your respected hosts will inform you about some of the things that will be discussed at the meeting and what have happened the last two weeks. Is that alright with everyone?" There's a slight silence for a moment before they all nod, noone is sure, but the feeling they are getting makes them feel that right now is not the best time to ask what is going on. Many of the trolls that stands before them look tired, with dark circles around their eyes, some seeming to have a slight problem standing straight or holding their posture, theres also the fact that some of them have braces on one of their legs or arms, bandages here and there from other smaller wounds or scrapes. Though what scare him and Essence the most is the haunted look in Darnell's eyes and the way he looks at his twin with fear whenever Cooper begins to walk a little out of his sight and the slight temor that comes before it quickly gos away as Darnell follows after Cooper as quick as his injured leg allows. They recognize and have seen this behavior before, back when Darnell was 7 and following his very sick grandmother around afraid that something was going to happen to her. It had taken them months to get him to stop and explain, even when Dila had gotten better that she did not need to be followed anymore. And that it made his grandmother much happier if he didn't worry so much about her all the time. Seeing him act that way again now was all Quincy, Essence and Lownote needed to know that whatever had happened had struck Darnell to the core, as he have only done it twice after Dila had died. And both times only when he had loved ones hurt to a major degree.

"Its alright hon'." Delta is the one to finally talk and getting her voice back from the 180 degrees turn that had just smacked them all in the face when they had gotten into the village and Poppy had wanted to show them something or rather someone for that matter.

"Y-y-yeah Popsqueak, its totally fine." Barb said soon after, her tone surprisingly on the low and clearly the Queen of Rock is still in shock as she still looks at Branch, whom are looking at her in return. His face, unlike Barb's blank and utter dumbfound one, is starting to frown a lot more and a girmace soon starts to form as well as he hides further behind Poppy. An air of inseucrity is beginning to come from him, but before it gets worse Clampers jumps out of her aunts hair to see what was going on and once she sees Branch she immediately walks to him or run more like it, ignoring her aunt Delta and cousin Holly's warning of leaving him alone. "Hey! Who are you? Have I seen you before? Why are you hidding behind here? Do you wanna play?" is what the small country girl asks as soon as she comes near him, and poor Branch is soon being dragged away from Poppy as Clampers continues on, not realizing just how confused the trolling she's dragging is at her sudden onslaught of questions. Though before Clampers gets to do anything more than confuse Branch some more, she's quickly being picked up by Holly, whom are looking more than a little embarrassed and irritated, and says "Clampers, what have we told you about this! No dragging new trollings into play the second you see them without giving them a chance to answer back!" as she gives her back to Delta, whom is glaring at her youngest niece.

Branch on the other hand quickly runs back to Poppy and without hesitation jumps into the Pop Queens hair, whom is a little shocked at his action but quickly recovers and just looks up to her hair asking "Branch? Are you okay?" All she gets back is some strange mewling sound along with a whine, which makes Poppy frown a bit.

"If you all would excuse me, I have an elder or two to find." Poppy quickly says and then takes a running start before she jumps and use her hair to get to whereever she needs to go. Leaving most of the leaders, ambassadors and bounty hunters in the dust confused. "Just what is happening?" is what Synth asked, for once not losing his focus on what is going on around him right away. That got him a snort from the Snack Pack which made everyone look at them. "Thats what we all have been thinking for two weeks now! You'll get used to it soon enough Synth since Branch is most likely to be like this for some time," Smidge said and answer the confused Techno troll.

"Anyways, lets get you'all housed. Its a bit early but I think we all need some time for ourselves. Trollzart, Dante and Minuet, your with me." Smidge continues on starteling some of them a bit, but none argued about it as they all ended up with their host for the week they where staying. Of course Quincy, Essence and Lownote ended up with Cooper and Darnell and as they start to walk to Cooper's pod, Quincy can hear both Barb and Delta ask Holly, Val and Demo just what is happening. Though neither of them give much answers as they don't want talk about it right now. Quincy quickly focuses his attation on his sons, and quickly sees that Cooper lifts Darnell in the air with his hair alone as he tells him" No you are not walking on that leg anymore today bro. I might not be the eldest of the two of us and not as stubborn or smart, but damnit D, you're going to have the doctors up your throat and then some if you continue to walk like that. And don't make me go get the crutches either." A look that Quincy recognizes from Essence who would often give him it when he himself was being to stubborn for his own good or whenever he had lost his battle with his own feet again after an injury, that was the look Darnell was under at by his own twin. All Darnell does back is grumble and just relax in the hold, laying a bit down in the hair and goes soon into a daze as they start walking once again to the pod that Cooper calls home.

"Cooper dear?"

"Yes mom? What is it?"

"How are you able to do that?"

"Do what...Oh you mean my hair? My adopted aunt and grandfather taught me. Though it was far from easy and according to D, I'm more advanced in it than most Funk trolls is. Though please don't ask me to do to much stuff with my hair. I still don't have all the controls down yet even though I have been doing this for years."

"Well what other things can you do then? I've never seen you use it while I was here." Lownote soon puts in his own two notes in the conversation.

"Thats becasue I usually don't need to use my hair as much as the others. I've manged to make things work for me where as Biggie or Suki had to use their hair to get things done. I also tend to forget at times that I can use my hair as well, but Branch has been helping me to get better at that. As for what others things I can do, I can swing myself from branch to branch if they are not too far from each other, some minor ways to defend myself, do a few tricks with them, and carry D here, though I am only able to lift two trolls at a time and use my hair whenever I need to do some massive clean up at my home is among the things I can do."

"Oh oh. Now That is some handy abilitys there son." Quincy says, both proud and thankful to know that Cooper have been taught this stuff by the Pop trolls. Its been clear to all of them for some time that Pop trolls had not cared that Cooper was diffrent from them the minute his egg hatched and was being well cared for. It was both a painful, but blessed feeling knowing that the woman and man that have raised their missing son loved him as if he was their own blood. The day Cooper had introduced them to his adopted aunt Buttercups and grandfather Pearpepper, the two old Pop trolls had been so happy to meet them and shocked to know they had been raising a prince, but they took it well enough. At the thought of the two Pop trolls, a strange thought came to his mind of something he had notice for some time. There where a lot of young people in this village and not many elders. If fact most seems to be in their late 40s or early 50s while there where very few like the former Pop King Peppy whom in his late 60s and Pearpepper whos in his early 80s. Quincy had once asked Peppy about this, worried that a disease had come through here at the village at somepoint, but all he'd gotten back was a sad smile and eyes haunted by something and the words " I wish it was a disease that took us". It had been very awkward from there, but he'd been saved when Essence had called for him to come take a look at something Cooper was showing her and Darnell.

As their small talk continues on they soon arrive at Cooper's home and once they are in Cooper slowly tries to put Darnell on the couch without waking him up from his daze, and once that is done Cooper quickly excuse himself to go make some tea while Essence, Quincy and Lownote goes to guest rooms to get their things in place. And when all is said and done, their are all together in the living room where each of them have a cup ot tea, though Darnell is sound asleep on the couch with a blanket on him getting worried looks form both of his parents and uncle.

Cooper just sigh when he sees their worried looks after he'd gone and gotten his own tea, sitting himself on the floor he says" Right time to get down to business. Mom, dad and uncle please keep a open mind in what I have to say."

"Cooper what is going on? This is so....far from what we have seen in these few months that its..." Essence stopped a bit, not sure how to say this.

"Unnatural." Quincy quickly supplies, getting a nod of thanks from her.

"And absolutely strange. The air around here lacks the usual vibe and beat since the last time I was here." Lownote soon follows.

The laughter that comes out from their once missing son was far from his usual one, though it was quiet as to not wake Darnell up. "Oh you guys don't even now the half of it! This is all started two weeks ago when Poppy was doing Branch a little favor."

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
The next day, early morning.

He is not sure why he and Essence are taking a walk right now around the little neighborhood Cooper is living in, though its most likely that they need the fresh air and time together to get to term with what they had been told yesterday. Though he is in all honesty not sure what to think at this point as they pass another pod, that seems to have its residents already waking up if the small singing they were hearing was anything to go by. It always amazed him how Pop trolls seems to be albe to allways find something to sing or be happy about whenever he and Essence visits, though it seems that some of it has gone away at the news of what happened to Branch. At least that was what he was thinking anyways as the air around the village seems to be a bit down.

"I wonder how the other leaders are doing with these news? I doubt many of them expected any of this." Essence begins to talk. Her voice is the kind of neutral Quincy only hears when she has so much on her mind and at the same time trying to avoid becoming an emotional wreck. He can't blame her for that, knowing that somewhere out there, theres a plant that can deage a poor soul to a child with major memory loss. And maybe even take their harmony away as well. Though Cooper keeps insisting that the reason Branch had lost his colour, as the Pop trolls calls it, is thanks to another reason. One that Cooper refuse to tell them as according to him " The only ones that have that right tell you why, beside Branch himself, is Poppy, Peppy and Miss Elma Dom. I know the reason only thanks to the fact I and my friends was there to hear it from Branch himself when he finally told Poppy why he was the way he was back then." A look of shame, guilt and regret had landed on his face after that, and Quincy, Essence and Lownote had to strain their ears a bit to hear the next part as Cooper only mumbled "Even though Poppy was the only one to really have the right to know it, unlike the rest of us." There had been a small look of sorrow after those words before Cooper exused himself to go make them all some dinner as it had become late when they had been done with the conversation.

"If I have to guess? Not very great with some of them. Others may be a little more okay on that front and willing to listen to the next part that Poppy and Peppy are going to tell us today at the meeting, like us. Though I can't help the foreboding feeling I'm getting that whatever it is that we are going to hear about, it's not going to be any good."

A grimack comes onpond Essence face at that, and she's most likely remembering what had happened later that night after they had all gone to bed. Well he, Essence and Lownote have gone to their beds, Cooper and Darnell sleeps in a 'nest' of sort that Cooper builds every night in the living room for the two of them to sleep together so that Darnell can sleep with a somewhat sound mind and heart that Cooper is alright. And trying stop the nightmares that have been plaguing him the past 8 days. It had been a jarring and horrid experience when they had all woken up hearing Darnell screaming bloody murder and shout for someone to stop eating his brother. Once they had manged to calm him down, all five of them sleept in the living room for the rest of the night afterwards. He and Essence had been to scared to go back in the guest room and Lownote refused to leave his newphews, brother and sister in law dealing with this all alone. Before he had fallen asleep, Quincy had asked how Cooper had gotten that idea, and thats when he learned thats its a commen method used by the Pop trolls when they have nightmares for long periods of time. Everyone in the familiy from young to old, builds a nest in the pod that had the strongest weight limit and sleeps there every night for months on end should it be needed. Buttercup and Pearpepper would do this often when Cooper was a child and it was still not much diffrence now either as he still needed it from time to time as he knows just what his twin is going through right now.

The air around them is stiff for a while and the silent makes Quincy feel even more dread, but then he remembers something.

"Remember our second monthly meeting? Where the other mains and sub tribes had gotten to know that only Pop trolls and Techno trolls were the only once that never knew the true story about the Strings separation?"

"Do I remember that." Essence answer back. " The Techno trolls knew for the most part that other tribes exiseted above the sea they call home and that they needed to protect their String. But when the rest of them had gotten to know that not a single Pop troll, beside Peppy at the time, knew of the Pop String at all let alone other existing tibes of diffrent music. And it was only after Barb had attacked them that Poppy had gotten to know of it and the 'story' behind it, which was far from the truth. I've never seen so many of them that shocked before and Barb was really out of it for quite some time after as well."

That was one statement to say the least. Barb had not been able to look at a single Pop troll in the eyes for weeks after she and the other leaders had gotten to know about the truth of how much Pop trolls even knew of the Strings. And that was so little that everyone was wondering how they had been able to live like that. Even the Techno trolls knew way more than the Pop trolls even though they did not have the full story either. And while she can be quite a rough, rowdy, sometimes angry and somewhat zealous in her music, she does not like fighting someone unfair nor feeling like she's being the biggest jerk around when she fights someone that has no idea what is going on when she challenge them. Whether it be in the physical or the musical senses. She has some pride and respect in that, even among the other tribes leaders finds that a nice thing about her. However that is what she had basically done to the Pop trolls and their Queen when they had found the village and not believed when Poppy had said " I don't know what String your talking about!" to the Rock Queen, and then proceed to ruin the whole place. It had taken weeks and Branch physically drag her to Poppy after he gotten tired of the cat and mouse game that it had become whenever Barb and Poppy was in the room together, for Barb to finally say just how sorry she was for not believeing the Pop Queen back then. Now don't get them wrong, normally Rock trolls are know to say how sorry they are real quick, especially when they done something that even other Rock trolls hate to do to another troll no matter their gener, but how do you say sorry to someone whos ancestors decided to lie to their own people after doing something that took hundreds of generations to forgive? Yeah, noone was going to blame Barb for taking her time for that.

"And the questions afterwards was insane in it own way as well." Quincy quickly replied back. "By the heavens, the amount of things they did not know and the things they asked, both Pop and Techno alike, it was they had found a oasis in the desert and would not let it go without a fight." It had been so many questions, that everyone had just made two books each and given them to the Pop trolls and Techno trolls just so they could get some quiet for a while. He lets out a groan as he remember just how tiredsome it had been the first few days of no stop question from both Poppy and Trollex.

The laughter that comes out of Essence warms his heart and as they run around a corner they soon see Cooper's home, seems like they had walked the entier neighborhood with out knowing it and the sun was only halfway up. Once they are inside they see that Cooper and Darnell was still alseep, both would every now and then rub their cheeks togheter as well. Essence walks over and carefully lay the blanket that was halfway off them on back into place. Quincy those not miss the smile that grace her face nor how she stay close to them as he walks into the kitchen, knowing just how happy she is to see their boys togehter like this. It warmed him deep down as well, but also made him realize just how much they've missed this part of their family when that hell forsaken bird had come and taken Cooper away from them. The day they've finally meet Cooper have had them crying most nights as both he and Essence finally could put the blame they have felt for 19 years of being unable to find him or, dare he say it, his remains if there were any at all. Now he only have to hear his wife say in relief at night when they were alone" his alive, his alive" instead of "I killed him, I killed one of my boys" over and over again whenever the guilt and the unkown became too much for the both of them.

"Mornin' bro. Had a good walk?"

"Mornin' to you to Low. And yes it was good. The wind smelled of flowers I've never smelled before though."

"Eh, thats normal around here whenever I've come to visite the boy. Apperently theres a nature troll near here that raise some very fagrant roses thats used for some very delicious honey hotcakes that sells in one of the parks. Been thinking of getting some, though I'm not sure if they have one yet that would not give me a heat attack."

"Hum" is all Quincy gives back as he takes a drink of the coffe that Lownote graetfully handed to him. He can't help the eyebrown thats being raised though as he taset the bitter and sour brew, even though its clear Lownote had put in the milk he likes to have in his morning coffe. "Isn't this that really really bitter and sour brand that you hate for the life of you?"

"Yep."

"And your making it because?"

"Because its the only brew thats going to make me feel that I can handle the really really bads days whenever they strike. And this brother." Lownote says as he holds his own cup up and takes a swig of the drink. "Its what I and most likely you and Essence is going to need today."

"Just make sure that its not as sour for Essence okay?" Quincy says after a while and gets a thump up from Lownote as the orange coloured troll takes another swig at his drink. Essence soon comes in, and after Lownote gives her coffe that would not make her throw it at him afterwards unlike last time it happened when she at been in a very bad mood, they have a small talk for about an hour or two before Cooper and Darnell wakes up from breakfeast smell that Essence was making. The food was good and the small talk around the table was nice, but neither Quincy, Essence and Lownote was ignorant of Cooper's steadily rising nerves as the day went on and then it was time to go. And as they leave the three adults feel a bit better, but they steel themselves none the less as they feel that what happens today would change many things for them all.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
"And I'll tell you this, your highness." The voice of a old woman, with venom in it and somehow makes the word 'highness' sound like it was lower than dirt, is making Quincy shiver all over his body has he continues to hear and see the conversation thats going on infront of him and his family." If I find out that you've used any more of those 'beam' powers of yours on my boy again, its me you will have to handle afterwards. Do I've made myself clear?"

"Yes ma'am!" Is what Barb says back to the old Pop troll that is currently glaring the most iced daggers that could rip a hole through your soul and burn you to a shadow given the change. Barb's friends, Riff, Carlo and Sid are keeping a good distance between themselves and the most pissed of Pop troll they've ever seen, whom seems to have a few bones to pick with their friend and Queen. All three and Barb share a look of unease and fear, clearly they have not expexted to meet this elder on their way to the meeting room. And Quincy is pretty sure the only reason the elder is not in the Rock Queen's throat is thanks to Poppy whom is the only one brave enough to stand between the two, thuse most likely saving Barb a lot more heat from the old woman before them as the Pop Queen tries to keep the elder calm. With mixed success.

"Miss Elma. Please just stop. We don't have time for this."

After another long glare at Barb, she looks back at her Queen. "Fine. But I'll have more words with this lady here at some point. You can't not stop me on that my Queen."

"Wouldn't dream about it. Now is there something else you have to say before the meeting starts? I doubt your here just to try to glare someone to death." That gets a look from the elder thats far from good as Poppy stops talking. In minutes both Pop trolls are in a whispered conversation that noone else can hear. Whatever Poppy is being told is making the Pop Queen uncomfortable and very concerned. The look of her face when she seems to ask something back and the nod she gets from the elder seems to make Poppy wants to throw something right there and now, but after taking a few breaths she nod and thanks the elder. As Elma leave, Barb can't help but ask "Who the hell was that?!"

"That was Branch aunt, Miss Elma Dom." Poppy says back, not even blinking at the question.

"Who clearly hates my guts."

"Na, that was not her hating the guts out of you at all. If it was, than that was pretty tame way to do it." Cooper chimes in, making everyone stare at him a bit before Barb says "What?", confused at what she was told.

"Yeah." Cooper continues on, not noticing that Poppy is waving her arms for him to stop. " If she hated you that much, you would most likely have both your arms-" He gets cut off by Poppy whos useing her hair to cover his mouth, a very strained smile is on her face as she says " Cooper I think that enough for now. We have a meeting to go to."

A slight nod from Cooper got the hair away from his mouth. "Right, sorry Poppy. This will end up in the meeting anyways wont it?" The nod Cooper gets form Poppy makes Quincy feel a very bad omen, one he had not felt in a long time. And his is not the only one at that as the rest of them seems to feel it to as the start walking again. And once they are in the room they all can't help but stare at the two giant books in the room that for some odd and utterly bizarre reason ozese and reeks of dread, fear and death. Well, the one that looked more like a cookbook was the one they all felt from the most, they could not help but gulp as they walked to a table each, which was a bit odd in it self but as they see that each table had a stack of scrapbooks on it that have been made ready for them and that each table was made of the same wood Branch uses for his wodden beams back in the bunker. Rhythm and Blues was already seated at a table and was waving them over. However Cooper did not sitt with them as he instead went where the rest of the Snack Pack was steading and took some small talk with Biggie and Legsly if he remembers the little purple trolls name right. He was not going to lie, Darnell stoped him form calling Cooper over to sitt with them but Darnell just put a hand in front of him and just shaked his head no followed by the words " Don't bother pops. Cooper needs to help them right now. You and mom can hug the fucking life outta him after the meeting is done."

Quincy quickly took a scan of the room instead after Darnell got a look of 'what the hell did you say young man?' from him and Essence, noting that everyone was at a small table that was made for each tribe, with the Rock trolls being reinforced with iron bonds as if they was unsure that it would hold, the chairs was also made of the same wood though they all had their own simple design for each tribe to make it easy to sit in and not make them unbalanced for those that used them. The room itself, regadless of the two giant books, is rather a calming large space, with its natural wooden exterior natural soft brown thats been adored with rather mutted colours of blues and greens, which actually made his eyes not scream in pain as some of the colours the Pop trolls used could rightout blind a poor person if they stared to long at it, and the windows that let the natural sunlight in made the place well lit and made him wonder what the place would look like when the full moon would grace the place with its own light. It was a rather dimed coloured place for Pop trolls to have, though he suppose even someone like the Pop trolls needed a place like this for whatever it was used for. Doing a head count, Quincy quickly sees that only the Chieftess of the Jazz trolls and the Chief of the Reggaeton trolls was not in the meeting, which did not supries him much as the turing this time of the year both tribe leaders had a hard time getting on time do these meetings as they are currently busy moving to a new place to avoid the harsh winter months to come. Poppy had actually found both tribes a much safer place that have a lot more space and a river that wont freeze for 4-5 days straight in a week with plenty of fish just slight east-south from the village and slightly out of the forest, that have a natural earthen wall to one side that would protect, shelter and hide them from most predotors that would wander around the place at night. Neither of the two tribes had minded that they had to share the place, they have done it for years before at the usual spot they normaly use together each winter as there where few places that they could live on their own turing the winter times without major loss of life let alone big enough for one tribe to use. The only problem they had was that it took longer to get there, even with the help of beetles that the Pop trolls call Tiger Beetles to move most of the heavy stuff, but after a week of talking and debates they had agreed to make it their new winter home even though it was farther then they liked all the pros out weighted the cons as they would most likely not find a better place to be as this year had been very brutal to most of sub tribes and they really needed a place that was a lot safer than what they've had before. However, to make sure that they did not miss something turing their move, they sent representatives in their place.

These representatives were Chaz and the Reggaeton Trio whom would get notes, updates as well as all that stuff at the meetings they are sent to that neither Dinah and Khea can make. While neither of the bounty hunters liked doing this, all four of them knew that it was inevitable for it to happen at somepoint as Hickory, Dickory and the K-Pop Gang also does this for their own respected tribes without much of a thought on it, even if it sometimes was more work then they liked or trouble for the matter. So they had to bite the bullet and just do it. And as if that was not enough many of the monthly meetings have had very positve result for their tribes wellbeing, way more than what could have been said a little over 300 years ago when most of these tribes arrived to the world so if either of them did not do it, it could hurt them all in the long run. As well on a personal level that not a single one of them wanted, luckly both leaders had seen fit in making sure that their bounty hunters knew what they were getting into so they all have gotten classes for it. For the most part. There have been a few hiccups here and there, but it was to be expected as most of the bounty hunters, including Hickory and Dickory , have little experience in politics so noone was suprised about it. The K-Pop Gang did not have this problem, as their uncle Yan who is the leader of the K-Pop trolls have taught them much about this from a young age since they would have ended up doing this, whether he or they liked it or not. Yan was very like Branch that way, that he thinks ahead a couple of steps and ways just incase something should happened. The girls dads had not been happy about it from what Quincy had heard, but apperently the skills had been very handy to have in their business of bounty hunting so it was a win win thing for all Quincy knew.

/Dinck dinck dinck\ A cow bell sound suddenly comes up, getting everyones attention. " Alright, is everyone here?" Poppy finally speaks up, getting for the most part nods, though a wave from where Dock and Dickory is sitting quickly get her attention" Hickory is not here yet!" The newest leader of the Yodelling trolls was clearly worried that one of her brothers was not at the meeting as she'd been very excited to meet them again after weeks of very little contact, beside letters that is.

"Ah, its nothing to worry about Miss Dock. Can I call you that?" After getting a nod from the 43 year old, Poppy continues on " I've asked Hickory to help Miss Elma, Moss and Mrs Della to look after the children for today. We need him to keep an eye on Branch to avoid any trouble that might occur while we are here."

"Trouble is only half of it." Dickory quickly grumpels before looking at his big sister. " You don't need worry much grobe Schwester. We'll get to meet him after the meeting is done. Beside, Hick is good at looking after kids and those people are going to need the extra help when that little brat gets rough or upset thanks his memories deciding being utter Idioten." The thought of another episode of that made Dickory almost groan at the reminder of what happened a few days back where Branch had manged, by accident, to blow up a building made of solid bricks and motar. Thanks to a single glitter bomb and some weird oily water that should not be anywhere near together. It have all happened thanks to apparently one of the more damned memories of the deadly predators Branch had encounters in his teen years that left more than a few scars. And thuse make the poor kid panic, and poof no more brick building and a new round of injuries. How the Pop trolls are not sheeting mad at Branch yet Dickory had no clue whats so ever and according to Elma, its most likely that Branch would have these episodes for a few more weeks. At least his not hidding in every cornor, leaf, hole and what not yet, as apperently it was very commen for Branch to do so for the first year she had him and he had some of the worst trust issus that one could imagen. " I'll tell you this young man." Elma had said. " It took me five years for that little dear of mine to fully trust me simple becuase he fear the second he trust someone, he will lose them just hours later. It took me, Peppy and Melody years to get him to not think that way with the three of us. The fact that he has yet to start any of that even after two weeks, is a sign that whatever took his memories also took most of his distrust with it. Which scares me more than it should as I've have no idea how he's going to react anymore when I can't see the usual behavior back when I first raised him."

Dock look between her brother and Poppy, a look that Quincy could only tell was a ' we are going to talk more about this later' was on her, one that both Poppy and Dickory just nodded to before the woman let it go. A few minutes later Poppy began to talk again.

"Okay so here are a few things you'all need to know before we start. As most of you have long notice, you each have your own table to sit at instead of the usual big table we share. Now this is because we are waiting for a new one to be made as there had been a accident with the old one thanks some of your own ambassadors reactions to what we are going to talk about today." At that Holly, Val, Rhythm, Wani and Dickory blushed a bit before the Pop Queen continued on. " I must also apologize if the work is somewhat rough or a bit uncomfortable as our woodworkers had very limitive time on their hands to make them. The scrapbook stack that each table have is for all of you to take with you home when its time for you all to leave, to save you'all the trouble of recoding it yourself later on from scratch. You can all thank Demo for that one sould you meet him as it was he's idea to begin with. Now for these to books behind me? They are for when I'll start explaining and telling you'all the history between us Pop trolls and the Bergens."

Taking a deep breath she continues on. " Now I have a a question for you all here in the room. What dose it mean to any of you when a troll turn grey?"

The question took most of them by supries, but Barb was the first to answer. " That they have become broken in ways few can understand and willing to know. Some trun into husks of their former selves and become nothing more than living statues for people to look at." The Rock Queens voice was soft and sad. Back in Volcano Rock City it was hard to know when a troll have lost their song when depression and truma comes and kicks the door out off its hinges as many Rock trolls are natural grey in colour. Barb herself have never know a troll that have become like this untill this day, but the many stories and books she'd read and heard about have made her very aware just how much hurt and damaged a troll can become. She'd sworn to never treat a troll bad because of something they have no control over, no matter who they are, as only those with hearts made of hard cold ice and are dead to the world, would treat someone that have lost their song as garbage.

"Losing their harmony makes them see everything in grey and trun them insane if enough time goes by." Trollzart soon follows, the oldest of the leaders, beside Peppy and Thrash that is, have a far away look in his eyes. What he is seeing noone really knows but there is no doubt that its far from good. " And if it happens while they are as young as Branch is now? They lose all their innocent that will never come back to them. The horror and fear that they feel can never be understood nor underestimated. Often they just wither away to their grave as well." A tear starts running down on one of the Classical trolls cheeks, one that everyone knew was coming from good reason.

"I think I can say it for us all here." Essence comes after, Quincy can only look at his wife, glad that at least one of them had the strength to talk right now. " When a troll lose the part of them self that helps make them who they are, they are to be treated with care, respect and understanding that theres little we can do for them unless they themselves allow it."

The sad, guilty and ashamed smile that grace not only Poppy and Peppy but also the Snack Pack as they all hear this sends a feeling of something they've all missed something. But they did not need to wait long, as soon Poppy drops them the bomb shell.

"Once onpond a time, I think we Pop trolls had the same thoughts as well." The words sends chills down Quincy's spine and the feeling gets worse when Poppy begins to talk again. " From what our records keepers can guess and have found, some 800 years ago at the minimun, trolls that truned grey would be seen a disgrace as well as a plague and worthless being. They where to be ostrichsized from society, taunted and maybe even beaten should the need be back than. Theres even two old laws we have that have long since been forbidden now well before my great great gandmoters birth, that used to allow people to even kill a grey troll." Poppy stops and flinch as several loud cracks, slams and shouts of " WHAT THE FUKC/ THE HELL ARE YOU/ I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS?!?" was rung around the place. Barb and her crew was having a rage storm at their table, though Val have been quick to take the books away to safety as she knew that they were going to be needed later, throwing their chairs at the walls. Not that Quincy is blaming them, his feeling the same rage and would liked to do the same, but the hand Darnell holds on his and Essence's hands as well as the pleading looks they get from both of their sons and Rhythm and Blues stops him. Lownote as his head down on the table to hide whatever he's feeling at the moment, his fist cruled hard and Quincy can hear him taking deep breaths as he begins to count from 1 to something. Dawn and Trollex are sharing a look of wide shocked eyes and mouth, their shaking arms around themselves from most likely trying to not do something stupid as Holly tries to calm them as well as her fellow ambassador Synth whos ready for a panic attack. Quincy is not sure how Trollzart and his ambassadors are doing as it is too much noise or things going on for him to hear or see, though he is able to see that Dock and Yan are walking back and fort, more pissed off than a desert snake that have had its week ruined and was hungry for some fresh blood. Both of them are swearing in their mother tongue and from the looks on Dickory and The K-Pop Gang had on their faces, it was most likely not pretty. What is happening at the table where Chaz's and the Reggaeton Trio's table is hard to tell, Quincy is betting on that its not much better there.

And before anymore chaos can be made three very loud SNAPS can be heard that sounded like thunder, and make everyone look at Smidge who have used her hair to make the sound. "ALRIGHT! THATS IT! CLAM YOURSELF THE FUCK DOWN!" Her deep and dark voice was so loud that Quincy thought for a minute that someone had taken lighting into a speaker and let it all out at full blast. Once everything was clam again, allthough a bit more messy than before the tiny yellow troll said. " Good. Poppy they are all yours."

"Thank you Smidge. Fuzzbert, Satin adn Chen could you please begin the clean up? And Guy, please go get the spare chairs." After a quick nod and " yes Poppy", everything was soon enough cleaned up adn those that had destroyed their chairs had gotten new ones, Poppy began to speak. " Now as I said, those two laws have been forbbiden for a long time now, in fact theres several laws that forbids anyone, from royalty to the most commen troll from ever given such a suggestion much less make it happen. And when my dads great great great grandmother became the new queen a little over 357 years ago after a revolution, she manged to change our prespective somewhat. Still, its safe to say that we Pop trolls have lost something important."

The silent that comes to them all is far from bearable, but things being to click for Quincy for somethings that he have seen over the months he and Essence, as well as what Lownote have told them. Once again Poppy speaks and this time, Quincy would feel his heart stop for a solid minute as one of the books begins to open, courtesy of Cooper and Biggie, and he sees a picture of what most be the Old Troll Tree with a giant metal cage around it in the middle of a town that could onle be described as trashed and gloomy place. The Pop Queens voice is neutral, which just makes it all the worse. " Why may you'all ask why I'm telling this to everyone? Well because its all connected to what happened after the Separation of the Strings, and what would be the Pop trolls struggle for survival for almost 2000 years. The day were we were captured and looked away from our freedome and then became the main course of the holiday know as Trollstice. The only day were unpond a Bergen eats a troll they could be happy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Age hcs of the snack pack and others as well as some brief bio of my ocs (my verson on it)
> 
> Darnell and Cooper: 19, they are the last in the group to have their birthdays as it is close to the end of the year and as such they are the youngest out of everyone age wise beside Tiny D whos only 5-6 months old. 
> 
> Biggie, Smidge and Legsly: 20
> 
> Satin and Chenille: 21
> 
> Poppy, Suki, Fuzzbert and Guy D: 22-23 respectely, with both Guy and Suki being the first in the group to get older first as they both share the same month with only three days appart.
> 
> Branch (his adult self): 26 making him the eldest in the group before he was turned to a 6 years old and after Creek was no longer part of the group.
> 
> Creek: 27 and a half, is two and a half years more older than Branch for one month straight as his birthday is one month before the grumps own, used to be good nabors once back before Branch lost his grandmother and moved in with Elma afterwards. Though neither of them seems remember that for some reason.
> 
> King Peppy and Elma Dom: 67 and 79 years old. Elma was Peppy's babysitter and foster big sister for a solid 10 years when Peppy himself got orphaned and Elma's dads and mom took him in while Peppy's uncle took temporary rule till the boy was ready to rule himself. That makes her the most trusted person he knows to take care of Branch when the little grump lost his last living family. They never lost that big sis/lil'bro bond and still calls each other that even to this day. Elma was one of the pioneers and scouts that helped make and find their soon to be new home and was one of the tunnel diggers that made the tunnel that saved the Pop tribe 22 years ago. She's been know for some years now to not give a fuck about someone that hurts anyone she cares about and have more than once broken someones legs or arms to make that clear. While she runs a shop now, she still teach trollings how to defend themselve and what berreis to not eat unless you want to twist your stomach out from throwing all up over the place. She does not like Barb one bit, though the Rock troll is not as high on the hate list as Creek is, at the moment.
> 
> Former shop owner and temporary King Mayfly: Peppy's uncle and temporary King of the Pop trolls for 9 years and half. Had to rule after his sister was chosen by then Chef's old teacher on a very special Trollstice day that happens once every 100 years, even though he would have preferred to stay a shop owner for the rest of his life. While not the greatest of rulers, he did a good job and made everyone in the old Troll Tree feel safe to the best of his ability for the short rule he had. Could not take care or raise Peppy on his own thanks to pre-history of bad health. Is the one to ask Elma's parents to look after his nephew and he taught Peppy in what it is to be a leader to the best of his ability as well, but left some secrets that was never passed on to his nephew. Died at age 54 after a bad strock just 6 months before he could crown Peppy as the new king. His remains was burned and then buried under the old Troll Tree as one of his death wishes. The cow bell Poppy use once belonged to Mayfly whom used it to annoy every Bergen at 2:30am in the morning everyday since he was 12, even after he became king he did not stop that routine and even added a very speical horn made by his own hands into the mix as well after his sisters death. Peppy still has the horn in his possession as Mayfly told him to only give it to someone that he knew would used it right. Has only been used afterwards when needed to scare away predators that would right out destroy the village as the noise the horn makes is far from pleasant. Its also one of the loudest intruments in the village to date.
> 
> Buttercups and Pearpepper: 55 and 82 years old, Coopers adoptive family and caregivers. Both have lost children, mates, siblings, friends and family members till it was only the two of them left. Three years after the escape, Buttercups is the one to find Cooper's egg and adopt him later on once he hatched. Had a very loved big brother whom she named the then orphaned Funk prince after and loved him like a mother would, but could never dare to call herself one thanks to what happened back in her old home and in respect for Cooper's birth parents whom she believed had died when she found the egg in the nest of a bird know to eat any troll it can get. She settled with being his aunt after a long discussion with her father Pearpepper, whom did not care how strange the boy looked nor that theres no blood between himself and Cooper. He was just glad to have his family a little bit bigger and a little more happier. Is the one that ended up sparking Cooper's intrerest in fire and whom taught Cooper how to make fireworks and some mean glitter bombs. The old man still do not regret a thing about that, much to his daughter's anger and headache.
> 
> More to come at later chapters.


	8. Stories and truths that came to light, one bad history is only a quarter of a even bigger one to come, someone once said part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well well well, hello writer's block. How do you do?
> 
> So yeah, the next few chapters is going to take more time as not only as this infamous hellspawn finally came to me. But we are nearing the end of how far I've already planed for this story. It's not the 'end' of story, is just where nearing the parts where I don't know were to go from next. Also, while my school year won't start until winter is over, thanks both to new covid wave and freak snow weather that makes it difficult for me and many more to get to school much less out of our homes, my job have taken a lot of my time as well.
> 
> So just to make other things clear, yes I've watched the ttbgo. And I don't like it very much. But theres a lot of things there that I like the concept of or the characters, like the troll gem thing, even when a lot of it is outdated now. So you can excpet to see it here as the story goes on. If you don't like. Don't read.
> 
> Anyways enjoy the chapter and sorry for taking my sweet time on this one.
> 
> * for thought  
> " for speak  
> () this means Fuzzbert or a Fuzzling is talking  
> BIG words means either shouting or screaming  
> ~ means change of pov  
> ¨///// row of these means same pov, just at a diffrent time or place

The cold silent that comes down crushing on them all is like that of a abandoned graveyard as far as Quincy is concerned as they all proceed to realize what the new bomb, which Quincy is begging his losing hope was just a terrible joke, Poppy droped after they had just gotten their frist one done. Noone is saying a word, some seems to have stopped breathing, others looks like they are a step away from death itself, and he is pretty sure that Minuet who at come along after seeing what have happened to Branch and wanted to help in some way, has fainted from the shock. Right now Legsly and Suki is checking her and once they are done, runs out of the room at speeds he did not know a troll could do, taking the Classical troll with them. Most likely taking the poor woman to the doctors for more expert help. Trollzar and Dante seems to be almost following Minuet on that front as they both look very very unwell. If he is honest with himself, his dose not feel any better. Both he and Essence have gone shades paler than normal, cold sweat is starting to run and he can feel his heart beating fast and hard. And all that stops him from blacking out is the secure hold Darnell has on his and Essence hands that works like a anchor. Rhythm and Blues are doing the same for Lownote, as his brother is struggeling to clam his breathing and looks like he'd seen a parade of ghost just float by him. His glasses had fallen off and shattered thanks to the shaking his body would not stop, his eyes had become filled with shocked fear and what Quincy recognize as old open wounds coming back to haunt his poor brother again. The last time Quincy had seen his brother like that was after a peculiar adventure were Lownote soon after had quite as a traveler and explorer saying " That place is hell on earth brother! I'm never going back!" Carefully as to not startle him, he puts his hand on Low's shoulder. Which makes Low turn to him to hug him for dear life, shaking body and all.

He turn his head around to take a look at the other tables, never letting go of his son hand or the hug that he and Lownote was in. Both Dock and Yan are just sitting there like statues with faces blank and eyes glazed over. Dickory is trying to get a reaction from Dock by patting her back and most likely saying nothing but kind words. The K-Pop Gang are doing the same, trying to wake their uncle up and if the worried looks that not only the girls but also Dickory have on their faces had anything to say, its clear this is not a normal reaction for Dock or Yan to have. A sound of metal being crused, and Quincy quickly sees that Chaz had crushed his beloved saxophone without knowing it from the shock his going through and only a table away is the Reggaeton Trio who is ready just faint and be most likely done for the next month if how they are hugging each other is any indication. Holly is hugging her aunt as the Mayor of Lonesome Flats eyes have become bigger than he'd ever seen, short breaths can be seen coming out of her and the horror and tears on her face tells anyone just what she feels about this. Trollex and Synth are also hugging, and making some weird strange chitter sounds that reminds him of some of the more harmless birds back home that are used as pets back in Vibe City. Though for all he knows, they might as well speak that sea tongue thing that Trollex said is their usual way to speak to each other down in Techno Reef, and when talking to their newly hatched trollings so that they know where their parents are when they get lost as its easier for a young Techno troll to hear and understand that tongue than the more normal speak all other troll tribes share.

At the table where Brab and her crew was, four out of five, as Val have had several days to think more about this as she had been told all of this before and thuse had a better grip on her emotions, was still as a tree, their eyes wide as dinner plates, having a face that is both gobsmacked and horrified. They all had their hands gripped tight on the table, and for once Qunicy was glad that Poppy had seen fit that the table was made of some really hard to break wood, even though the chairs had not lasted long. Any cracks that would have come out of those grips on a normal wooden table would have made it most likely explode. All five of them however have also lost a few shade of colour as well. Barb's face changed however as she seem to come to some realization of something only she and most likely her crew as well knew. And that seems to make Barb sick as she turns a little green as well.

Meanwhile, Poppy had not said a word as she just goes about around the place to get some stuff thats most likely part of what comes next. She's likely giving them all some space and time before she drops some more bombs on them, while the Snack Pack is going around the place to check on everyone. Which Quincy is both happy about but also dread. Cooper is looking at them all, he clearly wants to go and comfort them, but its also clear that he needs to wait to do so. Something Quincy could not blame his son, as Cooper needs to help his friends in this meeting with whatever he could do, and being the silent support that the Pop Queen needed very much right now. It was a duty Quincy himself had experienced one too many times thanks to circumstances that had gone out of control for some of his own friends. With few of them not ending very well, but the help and support that he'd given, well before he became a king, had been a dearly needed thing. A quick look at his wife is all Quincy needs to see that while Essence wants Cooper to be with them, she's proud of Cooper for doing this duty as well. After a good while, the one to speak up however is the former Pop King Peppy. The old trolls voice is filled with a sober, tired and sad tone that Quincy is betting noone had ever heard before until now.

" Long long long ago, in a happy forest where happy trees existed, there lived the happiest creatures in the happiest tree that the world has ever seen: Trolls. They loved nothing more than to hug, dance, sing, hug, dance, sing, hug, dance and sing. A lot. But then one day the trolls were discovered by a Bergen. The Bergens didn't know how to sing or dance or even hug. They were the most miserable creatures in all the land. And once they saw how happy the trolls were, they wanted some of that happiness for themselevs. By eating them. See, eating a troll made them feel so happy they started a tradition, that once a year every year the Bergin's would gather around the Troll Tree to taste happiness on a holiday they called Trollstice. Thats the story that have been passed down by our ancestors for a very very long time. How much of it is true is hard to say, as it have been proven that not all of our history that we have left has been writen down in good faith." A somewhat dark chuckle came out of the retired king before he continued. His voice now taking a dark tone of restrained old anger.

" I've lived through that hell for my first 45 years of life, where upond I got to see my own mother getting taken from me at the wee age of ten, luckly enough that my uncle Mayfly who took temporary rule for the next 9 and a half years only died of a stroke at the age 54, and be burned to ash afterwards instead of getting eaten after his death. I've watched friends and loved once get taken away from me every single year. My wife was taken from me only after Poppy's egg came to be, they only allowed me to keep my daughter as she was to become the next royal meal for their own little prince one year after my wife, and thuse needed to make sure that she was 'ready' for it." The old Pop troll takes a deep breath before he seems to relax from the anger thats oozing from both his body and voice. Then he looks at the other book, the one that reminds everyone of one used to cook, and was a lot thicker that the one that had been open before. And thats whats sends the very new type of chill he'd never felt before down his spine and makes his heart stops again. And as he hugs his wife, his son and his brother tight, he feels a little relief even when he realize that the book was indeed a cook book before Peppy had said anything. His mind and soul however, is still relling with thoughts, of horror and fear, as well as what ifs. If it had been his tribe, his people, his wife, his brother or his sons going through that for years on years on end. From generation to generation. Hell! Any motherfucking tribe going through something like that for so long and some moron thinkng that not something wrong would happened while going through this, is just a damned fools fantasy made from a insane person that has long since left reality.

" This book here is know as ' The best millions of ways to cook, boil, grill and fry your trolls. With desserts and pastries that would make your mouth water.' and its the only know cook book that the Bergens made for all the trolls they have eaten. Every single head royal chef, as they where the only once the kings, queens and people of the town would trust to keep their 'happy meals' safe, has writen something it that book about their best recipes and master works. From as young as a three month old troll egg to the age of maybe 90 if a Bergen was very luckly to get one troll at that age, you can bet theres more than a thousand recipes for every age there is." Peppy proceeds to gracefully ignore the sounds of gaging and some hurling their breakfeast into a wast basket that have been given to them by the Snack Pack memebers. Though he lets the poor souls be finished with their sudden new little business before he talks more. Poppy had in the meantime gotten a huge map up on one of the walls, one that was not only updated with all the new tribes, but also marked where those monsters lived.

" That day my Poppy would have been eaten, would also have been where Pop trolls would seized to exist regardless whether or not our String still existed. I don't know what any of your own tribes methods are for getting new generations of trolls within less then 20 years after something have taken hundreds of lives away from your home, but for us Pop trolls, its the Troll Tree that helps new generations to come to life after such disasters as well is our protector for life. And our old one have lost that ability after almost 2000 years of being very much forced to do so with little rest to save itself and us. And if by some small miracle that some few troll would have survived that last day of Trollstice, they would soon die a painful and slow death as there would be no safe heaven for them anymore to gather the stranget needed for escape afterwards, as the Troll Tree would slowly die away." Peppy turn quite after that, no doubt he is lost in the memories so painful one would be a cruel utter fool to say that he sould just 'get over it'.

" My grandmother and granduncle however, manged to do something no other Pop troll have ever done or only failed to do since the day our freedome was taken." Poppy pipes up, taking over the talk. " They found a way out. My grandmother had many trolls that have thought themselves to be very good at sneeking behind the Bergens back, and them look into the books of the librarys that exist in Bergen town. And there they found us a new home, here deep in the Illusive Forset as the Bergens calls it. However only granduncle was able to start the project of the tunnles that would save our tribe from death and would often send scouts out to prowl the woods whenever chance came, looking for a place that we could call home and once again keep us safe. It was 34 and a half years later, that this place was found thanks to Branch aunt, Elma Dom and her team. Its far and deep enough that it would take a very long time to even find us as we never needed much space nor a lot of food sources near us to begin with. We'd made a large stockpile for use that would last the first 5 years after the escape. And 20 years later, on the day I was to be crowned Queen, thats when the Bergens found us again."

After a good 30 minutes of quite, Poppy soons says. " I think is time for a two hour break before I tell anymore. Anyone that is against that, raise your hand or say 'ay'" Few moments later with noone doing either. " Then break it is. I hope to see you'all here in two hours. Those that need to see a doctor, please follow Biggie, he will gladly guide you to them. Others that need a outlet of some sort, follow Guy. He's going to take you to a room filled with things that don't have much use anymore that anyone that wants to can break them to your heart's content."

With that people slowly began to leave, with some having trouble standing much less walk, fly or float. However he, Essence, Darnell and Lownote sits till everyone else is going but them and Cooper. Rhythm and Blues had walked out of the door, holding the stack of history that was going to give every single one of their record keepers nightmare for years on end once they get back to Vibe City. Despite all the horrible emotions he is feeling at the moment thats all in a complete mess, Quincy knows that Essence is going to need all the support that she can get from him, Low, their sons and their friends when the backlash would come once every single Funk troll finds out about this. Which will happened no matter how one looked at it, as Funk trolls loved looking up on the newest news, updates and other stuff to expand their minds and understanding around them. And no matter how chill a Funk troll was, this is going to make even the best of them go off their hinges in both rage and horror.

" Mom? Dad? Uncle? Brother?" The voice of Cooper soon stops the silent that have come on the room once again as noone had dared to say a word for a while. Cooper is slowly walking to them, each step like that of someone trying to not aggravate a very pissed off predator, the worry on his face made Cooper look a bit older than he really is. Though before he gets to say anything more to them and after he'd gotten near their table, Cooper lets out a "arkg!" as Essence right out spring out of the table like a arrow from a bow, and hugs him hard. Soon sobs could be heard from her and as Quincy, Darnell and Lownote rise up from the table they all see that Cooper is looking unsure at what to do.

In the end, they all just hug each other in a big family hug as tears began to rain fort from their eyes, none of them seeing the look of understanding that falls on Cooper's face as well as the determination that comes soon after.  
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
About a good soild 30 to 45 minutes later of crying, cuddles and heartful hugs.

" Here you go. One family set for five. On the house." A young voice of a woman talks to them as she sets down food, drinks and some sort of incense burner on their table at a cafe that Cooper had led them to after they all had some what gotten back the control of their feelings. The place was in a little quite corner of the tree they were in, hidden behind some leafs that gave it a bit of privacy from both praying eyes and ears. The entire place was rather large with soft greens, browns and blues colours being spread in a beautiful patteren, with living white roses that smelled a lovely but light sweet type of some sort, that had a fresh hint of mint that was rather claming to the mind creeping on the wodden beams on the roof of the building. Most of the decorations, tables and chairs was simple and comfy. There was even a few balconies that had roofs with plants and curtains on that allowed even more privacy. Which is were they all where sitting at, after Cooper had dragged them in there saying " Not a single bird can stand the smell of these plants in here mom and dad. We're safe as can be. Its not like we have much of a choice anyways." When neither Quincy nor Essence had wanted to go anyway near the balconies, even though they where the only places left that had space for them. As all the other places to sit that was not a balcony are already full with other trolls. The woman, whom had four heads tacked on top of each other in her or should he say their sky blue hair and sunny yellow skin colour, left them soon after lighting the incense burner.

" But we didn't order anything? Or did we?" Essence pipes up, confused as Cooper starts to split the food up for each of them in small light portions, pouring tea from the kettle into the cups and moves the burner a bit out of the way so he dose not accidental push it off the table saying. " Oh we did not order anything. This is a very normal thing to happen here in the village, especially in a cafe like this. They are build for the purpose for people that have gone through...less than good times." Cooper hesitate a little before he continues on. " Its was, and still is mind you, a very popular place for Pop trolls to find some peace of mind after major loss or someone that just needs a privat but very peaceful environment where they have no fear of someone judging them for saying something or looking less like their usual selfs. And should some of the staff overhear anything, which happens very rarely as any troll thats employed here are all trained professionally in the dos and don'ts, they will hold their mouths sealed of whatever they heard. Never to utter a single word, with the only ones thats allowed to ask what they heard is the King or Queen, or even the professionals in health, should drastic measures be needed."

Taking a little sip of his tea the teen soons says " The foods and drinks are great to and no need to worry about your stomach not wanting anything. All recipes are made to relief you of that problem without feeling like you've...well gone for a quick bowl visit." The blush and uncomfortable small smile on his face told just what he meant about that.

" Coops been taking me to these places whenever I need a quiet moment ever since I got the news myself. Its really helped a lot." Darnell soon pips up as well, taking a bit of his food without much problem.

Quincy looks a little sceptic at the food before him, which was only a light herbal salad and some soup that smell lovely, not so sure if he had the ability eat at the moment unlike his sons. Though he dose take a sip of the tea, which a nice citrus taste to it with a slight bitter after taste as well. It was surreal for them to be here, but Cooper had insisted that it would be for the best for them all that they are staying here for now when they had taken a diffrent path to Cooper's home. Letting out a sigh, Quincy just relax as best as he can at the moment. Though his mind won't let him be, with the facts that every single Pop troll in this village, from past to present, has meet a fait that could only be described as inhuman for almost 2000 years has rattle him in a way that was almost the same, but diffrent back when Cooper had been taken from them. Why was he comparing the two though? It was a easy answer for him, and most likely Essence as well. It was a game changer and one of the most strikeing things that have happened to them in their lifes. Even when Barb had come, taken their String, destroy Vibe City and turned them to Rock Zombies had also been a strong strike as well. Or when Cooper had finally returned to them after so long. Quincy and Essence knew how to describe the feelings they had felt back then, manged to keep their heads above the waterline and come out understanding just what madam Fate had thrown at them. But while this shared many feelings they have felt before, it also gave new ones that is hard to say what is. Taking a quick look at Lownote, its clear that the orange troll is thinking the same as them.

The silent that followed soon after started as rather tense for them all, though Cooper seems to be rather used to ignore it for a while, but as the minutes pass by it became more and more comfortable to the point Quincy, Essence and Lownote felt at peace with themselves. In a brief small moment, Quincy even manged to forget just what had happened back at the meeting room. A bad habit he have tried to get rid off for a long time. And manged to eat a little, after a new server had come and gotten him a new bowl of soup and the salad was not bad at all. But soon enough, his brought back to reality when Essence speaks up. And she's far from happy.

" Cooper dear?"

" Hmm?" Cooper looks up from his tea, to look at his mother straight in the eyes. His face is honestly very much relaxed, clam and neutral.

" What did Poppy mean with that those monsters 'found you' again? 20 years after?" Essence's voice is neutral and clam. But theres this very very thin veil of barely restraint, of no doubt, a mix of a very wide range of emotions. With none of them being the positive kind. Quincy quickly takes her to a half hug to give her some comfort and strength, which seems to lift her spirit some. Laying her head on his should they all wait for Cooper's answer.

Cooper's face don't change much, though his eyes gets a little clint at seeing them like this, and after another sip of his tea he lets out a sigh. Taking his hand inside his cap he takes out a triangle shaped gem with rather relaxed egdes thats the colour that could only be described as ruby rhapsody. It clinted in the light like a gorgeous crystal glass, while at the same time giving an air thats both chill and cherry. And when Quincy takes a much closer look at it, he sees a tiny flame that seems to dance inside the gem all on its own. All in all, Quincy, Essence, Lownote and Darnell can't help but look at the pice of art before them, it was a wounder to see and Quincy could not help but ask him " Where did you get this?"

The smile that grace Cooper's face is that of pride and joy. Holding it a little closer up, but near himself, he soons answer. " This is my Troll gem. Its a tradition when a Pop trolls gets their first string of hair, its cut and planted to let it grow from the happines that the troll the hair belongs to this very special flower that makes these types of gems. They are a milestone as well as proof for every single troll that live here just how far one have grown as a person. Though aunt Buttercup took a lock of hair from me since I was hatched with a full head of hair. She did that as a safety measure as she had no idea how much was needed for me." The slight chuckle coming from him is that of fond remembrance before he once again talks. After putting the gem back inside his cap again for safekeeping. It amazed Quincy of this little knowledge, and that a gem like this existed thanks to someone own happiness.

" As for what Poppy meant with that they found us again after 20 years mom? That is something I'd prefer to let her tell you'all about when we get back to the meeting. It's better to let everyone know at the same time and same place, how we almost got exterminated again. And lost our colour." The looks of alarm he gets was something he was expecting if the raised eyebrown was anything to go by.

" You think that that was the first time that every single troll in the Pop village have became grey? Did none of you notice back in Volcano Rock City just how clam all Pop trolls where when we all turned grey when Poppy destroyed the Strings? Or how very few of us reacted badly to it?" The silent that comes makes Cooper shake his head a little. " Well I guess it was pretty hard for everyone, since it was your first time and all. So I guess everone had a lot on their minds. It also did not help with how Barb went with 'its all your fault again' bullshit. Then again, she was kind right on that part, but I'll say only on a fourth on that."

" Though if you ask me staying grey only for a few minutes once again is nothing compare to what Branch went through." Cooper speaks up after another sip of his tea.

" What those that mean?" Quincy asks.

Cooper seems to think really hard to how to answer that. Then it comes. " As far as everyone knows, trolls that lost their colour can only live for a year at the longest right?" After getting nods from Quincy, Essence and Lownote the teen goes on. Though they all see Darnell brace himself as Cooper take a deep breath, as he seems to know just whats going to come out.

" Well, Branch beats all records of that. Even our own, as the longest a Pop troll have lived after losing their colour that we could find, for now, was 7 and a half years." The silent that came only stayed for a short while, though for the adults it felt like forever as they try to think just how someone could live that long, much less the fact that Branch seems to hold the longest record to survive after whatever tragedy had happened to him. Then Cooper drops it.

" Branch stayed grey for 20 years. And he was only 4 when it happened."

Quincy had no idea what happened next, as soon as he heard what Cooper said and what it meant, all turned black and it would only be the next day when he woke up again in a hospital bed that he gotten to know what happened after he lost consciousness from a heart attack thanks to all the shock he'd experienced over that day. The shock shouts of disbelief and horror, as well as Darnell shouting " DAD?!?" was the last thing he heard and remembered.


	9. " History taught me that your my enemy. But then I learned that you where not." part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On to the next one! Enjoy everyone!
> 
> * for thought  
> " for speak  
> () this means Fuzzbert or a Fuzzling is talking  
> BIG words means either shouting or screaming  
> ~ means change of pov  
> ¨///// row of these means same pov, just at a diffrent time or place

As he nears the door Dante can hear Trollzart's playing on his violin, what piece the old Conductor is on his not sure, but its cleary one of the sadder ones. Trollazrt had been one of the best violin players in resent history and have made many new and right out gorgeous piece himself. And the old man still have not lost that title even though his duty as a leader for all Classical trolls has taken a lot of his time to play his instrument. In a way Dante was jealous on that part, as now that he himself now is a leader for those that live here in Classical Crest, he knows now just how much responsibility, hard work, time, effort and headachs it takes to be a true real Conductor of the tribe. And he'd found less time to play his own violin and grand piano to be a somewhat pain. Dante had been very proud when he among many of his school year had been selected by Trollzart himself to be one of his twelve students that would one day among them become the new Conductor to lead. His mothers, all five of them, had thrown the biggest ball party in Symphonyville that was still talked about to this day. His older siblings had been quite shocked to find out about it, but they've had all congratulated him for it. The next four years had been a bliss and he'd learned a lot about how a leader was, though he was never as good as some of the others, he'd knew that he was somewhat talented at it. And it was this along with the fact that Dante was rather mild and well patient enough that Trollzart had elected him as the Ambassador of his tribe when Poppy had called for a meeting for a project that she believed would help everyone in the long run. One that Dante is proud and happy to help with as he have found it fun to be here, with new friends that makes him happy as can be. And he'd been beyond happy when Minuet had come along on the idea as he knows she's always have some good ideas and ways to keep people entertained and happy. It have really helped him as he still have some much needed ground work left before everthing is set to go here at their new home.

At the thought of her, Dante can't help the worry that he feels for his long time best friend. He remembers well how the two of them meet. His mother Dina had taken him to one of her little Woman's Tea Parties, which he did not like much back then as he always felt a little out of place at them, back when he had been Liliosa Crescendo. He found it for the most part a bore, which he never ever told any of his mothers about even to this day, and could never really find anyone to talk to at whatever place that hold the tea party at the time. Playing was out of order as well, for he never found any enjoyment from playing with the other girls. Untill one day Mniuet had come along, and that was when he found one of his best of friends. Often he would only come to the parties when Dina told him that Minuet was there as well, and the two would hang out in the gardens and talk about everything and nothing. Play games that would sometimes drive their parents up the walls, sometimes literally as more than once they had to climb to get both him and Minuet to safety when things went a bit too far. And she had also been a part in helping him coming to terms and get the courage to tell his mothers he wanted to be a boy. Not the little girl he was born has when he hatched. Which had eneded with a name change once the healers was sure that no more help was needed for his body and mind to adjust to his new life. And now that dear friend was in the Healers Pod, unconscious of the shock and fact that Pop trolls have a history of survival that puts many horrid stories of other significant world changes to shame. And made Dante himself sick just the mere thought of it. He is not looking forward to explaining to Minuet's father and mother just why their daughter is in a hospital when they along with one of his own mothers comes on a visit. A visit that was tomorrow.

Letting out a sigh, he carefully opens the doors to see his mentor flying softly around with his eyes closed while playing his music in the rather empty room, that only had two simple white tables with chairs at either side. One is beside the giant window with half open curtains that lets the moons light shine as the only light source in here. On the table is a simple porcelain tea set with some unlight candles on a candletick in the middle of the table. The other table was in a corner to a wall that was a several feet away from the window, where the five books of Pop history that Poppy had given them. A history that was going to cause a lot of pain and nightmares to many that dare to read them. And Dante knew that he needed to read them, if nothing more for Branch's sake. Dante have always found Branch a little hard to get along with, though he did find Branch attitude as well as his blunt way of telling you things straight was rather refreshing and helpfull at times. And a welcomed change when it sometimes became a bit too much of the other Pop trolls positvie out look. But knowing what he did now, why Branch was the way he was. And why the rest of the Pop trolls seems to be careful around him when he is in a rather foul mood. Dante can't say that he faults Branch's attitude or behavior any longer. Nor the fact why Branch seems to have such bad trust issues with every person he meets, regadless if he knows them or not. And among many other factors that had made Branch a very interesting but also confusing Pop trull to interact with. Closing the doors once his inside with all the care he could while sighing once more as all the puzzle pieces being to once again fall into place about things he'd seen around the village, Dante carefully fly to the table beside the window. Listening to the violin thats being played as he sitts down. His eyes closing as it goes on.

And thats when he sees the picture of the song his mentor is palying. Flying through this storm of sorrow, pain, fear and confusion with very little chance of finding a safe place to land to catch his breath. Heart racing like its on fire from the horror thats slowly creeping up on him. And the shame and guilt that follows it all around like that of a lost little Eighth Goat looking for its mother. Dante can feel hate slowly bloom in him as the song goes to a darker place. The anger is hard to describe as not only is he hating himself for not seeing the wounds that was still clear on Branch, but also the old stories of old and all the other rumors he'd believed for years now about what a Pop troll is. And what they wanted to do to you if they ever find you. He even feel some disdain for his ancestors as he knows that many many times, they've all had the chance to go and see what was going on with the Pop trolls. But due to old fear, one that have long since been laying cold on the ground and was no longer needed, had stopped them. Oh dont get him wrong, his not going to fault his forfathers and formothers that the fear they had was there for good reasons, but when you don't hear a thing about the so called 'enemy' for well of a 1000 years. Its best to go check, just to be sure that they are no longer there. Or to find out what was really going on. Taking a deep breath as the song seems to near its end and begins to die out, Dante tries to calm himself as he knows this was not a time to think of that. As of right now he needed to help his new found friends to find help for Branch.

" Well hello there Dante." Trollzart's voice rings only moments after the violin has gone silent. It hurts even more than usual to hear Trollzart voice as it have gone to the tone and care that shows itself whenever the Old Conductor's mind goes back to the tragedies that he has witness for almost 32 years now. There is no secret among all the tribes, one that the Pop tribe will most likely know about soon enough, that both Trollzart and Delta Dawn have lost a lot when they were very young thanks to things out of their control. From losing loved ones from diseases to deadly accidents. They've pretty much seen it all well before they became adults. And thuse they where most likely to understand just what the Pop trolls have gone through. That is as Dante sees it, both a blessing and a curse for the two leaders. But he hopes that once all of this is fixed, that both of them might finally let the ghost of the past go free. As it seems most of the Pop trolls have done to some degree thanks to the fact that they have made peace with the very monsters that have been their living nightmare for ages. Quickly shaking his head to get rid of that thought, Dante soon looks at Trollzart once he's able to open his eyes without seeing red from the rage he was feeling. The old mans face seems to have aged another 40 years from all that have happened today. And Dante can't find the heart to be shocked at that. But he still feels worry for the old man.

" Dear mentor." He starts slowly, nodding his head in greeting and show of respect. " How are you?" The question was honest as can be. And all though Dante is sure that he knows just what is going on in the Conductor's head, he knows better than to say it out loud right now.

The smile that comes on Trollzart's face helps Dante feel a little better himself, but there is still some pain from old wounds once again being open, that he can see in the old mans eyes.

" I'm doing slightly better my little butterfly. How is Minute?"

" Doing better, though I've send our healer Benedict to help watch over her tonight. They are not sure when she will wake up, but Dr Moonlight said that they will not be surpriest that it can take days for her to wake up as she took it pretty hard." His face soon turns sour when he says next. " Though I'm not looking forward to tomorrow."

A small chuckle comes out of Trollzaret. Clearly he dose not envy his student on that part. And after a little more small talk both Dante and Trollzart are sitting at the table sipping their tea. It was a little lukewarm, but Dante didn't mind much. The silent that was here though was a strange mix of comfortable and uncomfortable while being stiff as a tightrope. If it wasn't for that Dante was used to it somewhat as he and the other eleven students was often taken to see how Trollzart would handle the less liked things of being a leader. Often, they all found it to be a war of carefull negotiations, facts and patience that Dante knows well he dose not have yet. Nor is it likely he would ever have it as well. But that matter little for him right now, as he has Classical Crest and what have happened to Branch to worry about. He's not sure how long they sat here drinking, but soon enough Dante felt that he had to ask what have been on his mind for hours now.

" Teacher?"

" Yes Dante?"

" What do we do now?"

The look that grace Trollzart's face made Dante wish a hole had come under him and swallowed him up. And regret asking. But he dose not get long to think about that as Trollzart answer him.

" First I need to get back to Symphonyville and hopefully get all the head borad memebers from every branch to a meeting." Trollzart's eyes hardens from furstration at that, which Dante isn't going to comment on as he knows well just how much of a pain those are. " And with these books along with with the Crystal of Truth should be enough for them to understand just why I've called on them all." Dante can't help the cough attack that he gets after he'd chocked on his tea at those words. Once his lungs is clear again he looks at Trollzart like he had just grown three extra heads.

" The Crystal of Truth?! Teacher, you can't be serious?!? Theres no way any of the things we'd learned today that can be a fucking lie!?!" He wasn't one to curse, much less as his own mentor, but hearing that Trollzart was going to use that in the meeting left a taste in his mouth that Dante did not want now. And it was a fools wish to believe any of it was a lie when every single Pop troll have proven to be for the most part terrible liars for months now. Not to mention how they have all acted in the meeting room. Unless everyone suddenly manged to become star actors over a fortnight, Dante help but think that anyone thinks something like that need a reality check.

" I'm afraid so Dante. Its the only way that all of them will believe any of this. And I mean all of them." A very familiar look falls on the Condutors face and thats when Dante understand why. Not all of the head borad members that helps the Conductor with ruling Symphonyville have been happy with the Pop trolls being alive, as they where die hards, a term Val have taught him when the two of them had come in a interesting talk about culturs and certain words used only in their tribes, when it came to the old betrayal that was done ages ago by the Pop tribe. And had it not been for the fact that most part everyone now live in a moderan era as well as see no need to look at the Pop trolls like that any longer, Dante would not even been here much less Classical Crest coming along with so many trolls loving it here. Dante remembers all those days where they would argue about it all being 'fake' and " We can't trust them! They almost destroyed us all back then! They can do so again!". It had been so hard for Dante as well as his fellow students to not try and kill someone when the talks would change to other things before changed back to the real matter again. It had been so many back and forts Dante was still unsure to this day how noone got a broken neck from all of it. But in the end, it was agreed that they at least would send someone to see what Poppy wanted to talk about. With the parting words from said die hards being " Let's see how much your hands is going to be stained with blood now Trollzart."

Someway somehow Dante manged to not growl from the new rage that was forming in his heart as he remebers that part. Dante had been less then impressed to say the least. And now that almost 400 Classical trolls live here in Classical Crest having some of the best times in their lifes with all the new and interesting stuff. As well as making new bonds with other tribes that will one day bring in a gold age like nothing seen before the Separation, Dante is going to have so much fun rubbing it in their faces next time when he sees them. Oh he would most likely get a ear pain of disappointment from many on that behavior as it was not a normal Classical trolls way to feel, especially from his family and friends back in Symphonyville. But Dante can't find the care to be bothered by it anymore.

Taking once again a deep breath for who knows how many times, Dante looks at Trollzart and asked " Then what?"

" Well it will depend on how the others will react. But I'm sure that everyone is going to be very very opened minded for the next few meetings that will come up after." Looking up at the roof for a bit, Trollzart looks back at Dante. His eyes are filled with a determination that Dante knows is going to hit any hard headed fools who remian stubborn, like that of a boulder coming crashing at ya. " And for you Dante, I need you to get both Poppy and Miss Dom to agree to take Branch to Symphonyville."

" Excuse me? Why?"

" Becasue if I'm right, it might be needed for not only our own healers and herbalist to see the the flower themselves, which I'll be talking about to Poppy. But to have Branch himself come so they can see the proof themselvs on why that flower is a danger. As well as see just what damage have already been done to them. Especially if that woman decided to butt heads with me on this." The angre that pass on Trollzart face make Dante glad he dose not need to meet that woman again. Just the thought of talking to her makes his spine shiver. Not from fear but from share frustration at the meer thought of talking to her now, Dante is sure he'd end up in jail for physical body harm her as soon as she began to speak.

" Alright. I'll see what I can do. Anything else?"

" Yeah but we're going to need Minute for this as well. So it will have to wait till she wakes up. In the mean time, let me tell about what other things that we both are going to need to do." Netx few hours was spent for the two of them to plan out just what was needed to be done on both sides. And if Dante looked a little more hopefull, Trollzart did not say a thing about. And when it was all said and done Dante went to bed, feeling that while everthing was not right he could feel that at least he may have a way to help Branch.


	10. " History taught me that your my enemy. But then I learned that you where not." part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up folks, I've have Synth, Val, the bounty hunters and the leaders of both main and sub alike left before I'm done with the chapters I've have planed. Then we will see from there.
> 
> Also sorry for the wait, enjoy the chapter everyone.
> 
> * for thought  
> " for speak  
> () this means Fuzzbert or a Fuzzling is talking  
> BIG words means either shouting or screaming  
> ~ means change of pov  
> ¨///// row of these means same pov, just at a diffrent time or place

Watching from her back porch worried, Holly tries to see where aunt Delta had gone, as while she would normaly be happy to see her aunt take her nightwalks while playing the banjo that never seems to leave her side, tonight Holly along with Oak had hoped that would not happened today. Alas, that was not to be it seems. Letting out a sigh, Holly was only that Oak had agreed to have Clampers over at his house for as long as needed so that Holly had a chance to help their aunt after she had gotten to know just what happened to the Pop trolls all those generations ago. Theres little secrets in the fact that it have been a question not answered for a long time, with the past decade more trolls from all over had began to wonder if they should travel to the land once called home by their ancestors. To see if they even where there anymore, as well as see if any of the so called 'true rumors' had even a lick of truth in them. But there was no need to think about that any longer. One thing that Holly is going to give Barb some good credit on is the fact that thanks to her a lot of answers as now been found thanks to her little tour spree. As well as a new found peace Holly refuse to lose right now. Though Holly is willing to bet her three Cutey Pageant wins that noone would have thought the answers was going to be nightmares for whomever found out. Trying to not shiver from the fear she feels, and wish it was the cold that made her shiver instead, when she remember how hard it had been to be near any Pop troll every since she gotten to know the truth. It had undoubtedly hurt Poppy and the Snack Pack a bit, but they had understood that she had not meant any harm. And that she was for the most part still in shocked horror, so her trouble with being near any Pop troll was only to be expected. At least it had been a better reaction than Val and Demo had. Both of them had been unable to utter a single word much less look at Pop trolls without going into a rage when they had to talk to any of them for several days. They even had a much worse reaction then the rest of them had seeing Branch once again a couple of days later after that meeting that changed everything. As both Rock trolls just lost it, to put it kindly.

At that thought Holly can't help the frown that cross her face. Guilt and shame has become new house guests of hers for a little over a week now, as she hated herself for reacting by screaming at him and moving away once she saw Branch that day, unlike the first time where she had only frozen from been shocked beyond surprised as seeing him like that at the Healers Pod. Grey, major memory loss, confused, scared, in a childs body and distrustful of everthing and everyone he sees. And that distrust was apperently a new type that Miss Elma had not seen before. Nor Peppy for that matter. Which made her worry of the thought of if there where other changes had happened to Branch that they did not know about. The first week after the transformation had been horrible and painful to watch as Branch began to remember things again at a very slow pace, trust them again and see him suffer through nightmares that only Poppy and Peppy seems to be able to stop, before Elma had come in to give had much needed helping hand when she'd gotten the news of what happened to her former ward. The Snack Pack had formed a wall of sort made to support Branch and protect him from those few trolls that still seems to have a bone to pick with him despite how many times he'd protected and rescued them. Not to mention the loyalty that he'd showed to the village despite almost all of the villagers hated him for being a broken person for 20 years. And had it not been for the fact that Holly have seen all these months that she's been here, that most of the villagers have learned their lesson and trying hard to really earn that loyalty, she would have taken Branch to Lonesome Flats and asked aunt Delta and her aunt's wife Moonshine to look after him untill she knew and was sure that they all truely feel sorry for the treatment they had given him for so long back then. That and Miss Elma would most likely skin her alive if she so much tried to take Branch from her.

Letting out a sigh of pure frustration and a shiver once again in fear, she looks instead at the rather large table beside the chair she has out here. On it is a open and large bottle with a small glass beside it. Both being made of clear glass made it easy to see golden colour liquid that had a bit of a champagne look to it thanks to its sparkels and bubbles. Though it was not champagne at all, rather it was whiskey. 'Golden Creek Whiskey' to be exact as the black bold letters said. Aunt Delta was not a heavy drinker nor a fan of strong alcohol, as she found a good old cold beer to be better than anything strong when the thirst for a drink came for a visit. But from what she and her brother had both seen and been told, this was the only other type of liquor or alchohol she would drink, but only once a year. At the day where aunt Delta almost lost everything thanks to the Fire Lung disease that came rolling down the road like a wild and pissed of baffalo herd. Both she and Oak had been in their shared egg at the time when it all happened as the egg protected them both from the danger for the disease, but their other family memebers had not been so lucky. By the time they had hatched only their dad, aunt Delta and aunt Hildaway was left of their family. Trying to not think about that, Holly moves her eyes to the half open book that was just a little away from the whiskey bottle, she has to look the other way as the book was from the stack they've gotten from Poppy to avoid hurling what little she'd gotten to eat today. Aunt Delta had chosen the one that had the pictures of Pop trolls being stuffed in taco bells and what not, then shortly eaten afterwards. It was something Holly did not wanted to be reminded of right now.

Once she'd gotten control back and was not going to hurl, she carefully begins to clean everthing up. Making sure that the book is closed as fast as possible and that the cork was tight on she soon gets everthing inside and gets them safely in their cupborads that have nice and nasty little locks Branch had made for her and Oak when she had talked about how hard it was to keep Clampers away from the few places the two of them did not want their cousin anywhere near in their houses, for fear of how dangerous some of the things where. Not to mention the trouble it could cause for everyone should that little troublemaker find out how they are used. Holly remembers quite clear when Branch had come over with the locks for both of them, that had a speical way to open even though it was easy to lock with a simpel snap, and once he'd finished with installing them they have found it a lot easier to avoid a lot of mischief from Clampers when she came for a visit along with Delta and her mom. It had taken the little troublemaker a soild 5 days of frustration to realize that she was not going to get anywhere with opening them the old fashion way like before. Though it had not stopped her from trying to find a hammer to destroy them. That idea had failed miserably when Delta and Clampers mom, Hildaway, had gotten to know why Holly and Oak had these new locks. Save to say, Clampers had gotten quite the wooping from her mom and the little 5 year old had gotten a new set of chores that she is still have to do for another 9 months.

Once again a sigh comes out of her as she walks to her coat rack as despite Country Corral being in a warm place theres still nights that became unbarely cold. And while this was not one of these nights, she knew well from what Poppy and the specialists had said that the farther she went from the forest at night the colder it would get. It was a bit of a strange thing in this forest that it stayed for the most part summer year around, except for the last 3 months that is. And anything that stayed near the forest around 2.5 mile would also have the same weather. With a few exceptions there and here, depending on whether it was a pair year or odd year. Whatever that meant. And now that winter is closing in the nights have began to be colder then the nights back in Lonesome Flats during the later months when the nights becomes longer and colder. As she walks out and lock her door Holly hopes that her aunt at least had taken her own jacket wiht her as Holly have not seen it in the house as she left nor at the back porch. And to her surprise after a 15 minutes walk she sees Delta. And Queen Barb as well who looked rather...not well to say the least. The Rock Queen looked like she'd been through the ringer at least a dozen times and her eyes looked so blood shot to the point Holly could not see where her iris was any longer. Clearly the Rock Queen had been crying if her ruined mascara and eyeliner was anything to go by with tear stains that seems to be still fresh. Her Beetle Bike did not look good either as the poor thing was shivering from the cold, looked very tired, and was clearly banged up a bit.

" Ah, Holly glad to see you. Could you give us a hand here?" Her aunt asked as she gently push the cold beetle in the back to get it moving again while Barb was steering the poor thing so that it did not crash into something with the rope that Delta always has on hand. Barb was clearly not happy seeing the bug being so bad as it was, as well as worried when the thing lets out a whine of misery as it moves slowly forward on very much cold and hurt legs.

Without pause she quickly goes to help them, and after a exhausting 45 minutes later they had the poor thing inside a warm barn that one of the neighboors was happy to let them use for the beetle. With a bucket of water and a bucket full of apples for it to eat and drink, as well as a blanket that they where given so that the beetle was more comfortable and Barb doing some quick fixes on the bug to help it sleep through the night with less pain, the three of them went to Holly's home where they all soon sighed at the warmth started to take away the chill as soon as they where inside. While Delta was helping Barb with getting her leather jacket off as it seem the zipper was not in a mood to do its job and Barb had cold fingers that made it a little hard to get a grip, Holly quickly go to the kitchen to start some warm water that the two leaders could use for either tea or coffee powder she is getting out from the shelves. And as soon as the water, cups, tea and coffee are ready and on the tray she soon sees the two leaders in the living room, having a small talk with each other at the new fire that Delta is making in the fireplace. What they wher saying was hard to hear as they talked only in hushed whispers. Setting the tray on a small table between the chairs that the two woman have taken she looks at them both a bit before she asks. " Miss Barb?"

Looking up from her hands that she have been rubbing to feel blood once again move in them, Barb look at the young ambassador. " What?" She says. Hearing how rough and tried her voice was as well as seeing how she was not that much in a mood, Holly knows that she should not be wasting any time with her words.

" Just a quick question. If that is okay?"

The small silent lasted only a few seconds before Barb said " Shot."

" Is there anyone that knows your here?"

The blank look she gets for just a moment is all that Barb gives her before the Rock Queen starts cursing how she could have forgotten doing that before she left Rock Hallow.

Straining a bit at her smile, Holly soons says " I can get in contact with Val, Miss Barb. I'll let her know your here for you."

Nodding in thanks, Barb soon fouces her attation on her hands again. Taking that as her que, she walks into the halls calling to them as she walks. " I'll go get the guest rooms ready. Yell if you need anything okay?" Getting a "Yeah" and " Aye hon'" from them, she quickly goes to the rooms, though first she needs to contact Val. And has she starts to search for the speical phone that Rhythm and Blues had made for the ambassoadors so that they could get in contact fast with each other should it be needed, she can't help but feel that this is going to be a long night.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Somewhere else, in a little pile of sleeping Funk trolls.

He'd woken up from getting kicked in the face by one of his nephews. Which one it was though he cares for little as he carefully gets out of the little nest that had been build in the hospital room for him, Essence, Darnell and Cooper to sleep in while they waited for Quincy to wake up from his heart attack. Which according to Dr Brake, Quincy should wake up at sometime late tomorrow at the latest. It had amazed him that the doctors had allowed this at all, but Cooper had told that it was something Pop trolls just do. And it was not unusual to for them to let family and friends sleep in the patient's room should it not be any danger to the patient's health. In fact, if Quincy had been much worse, they would have not allowed it at all. Pop troll culture always seems to teach him something new everyday that goes by. And it was clear that a lot of it was based around once wellbeing in soul, heart, mind and body. As well as family and friends. Though with what he'd learned today, it made sense why those things was so importent to the tribe. Most likely if they had not based their culture around it, and some few more things that made them way diffrent from the Pop trolls of old, Lownote is sure they all had died out much sooner. Managing to get free from a rather strong hold on his leg by Cooper, whom is talking in his sleep while rubbing his cheek with Darnell, Lownote soon takes a little stretch before he walks away from the nest.

And sees his sister in-law sitting in one of the chairs beside the bed Quincy is in. Lownote can't help the frown nor the small sigh as he sees her face, worry clear as the little candle light on the small table that Essence had no doubt lit in the lilly shaped clay bolw so that she could see her husband's face without much problem. Normaly Lownote would siltenly curse at his brother for worrying Essence and Darnell, as well as Cooper now that he is back with them, when he gets into accidents that leaves him like this. Though they are far inbetween when they do happen, Lownote finds it hard to curse at his brother for this. Its not easy for either him nor Quincy to get a heart attack or faint. But today have proven to be the shock and horror of the century. For lack of better words. He doubts there are few things thats going to shock him to the bone like this again for a few years to come, but his not putting any money on that bet. Or credit for that matter. Taking a quick look at his nephews to see if they are okay, and tucked one of the blankets around Darnell so he did not get cold, he soon stands a few feet away from Essence. And knowing its best to get her attation before he talks to her so she dose not get a heart atttack herself. That and he knew well that Essence can throw a mean punch when startled, something Darnell had inherit much to his and Quincy's dismay. Both of them had gotten more than once some painful reminders of that fact from those two. Though Lownote is secretly hoping that Cooper had not inherit that from his mother.

Clearing his throat just loud enough for Essence to hear and wake up from whatever place her mind had wandered to, she quickly looks at him after she calmed a bit from the little shock the sound he had made. She was looking at him confused and curious, as well as clearly not expecting to see him awake in the middle of the night. Giving her a small but genuine smile that was as relaxed as he could make it seems to make Essence relax as well.

" Good evening Ess."

" Evening Low."

" Hows big bro doing?"

" Doing better I think." Taking once again a look at her husband, Essence continues to answer him." He gotten a little more colour back at least."

" Hmm." Looking at Quincy himself, Low can see that his brother's colour had returned somewhat to their normal colour. At least Quincy is getting a good night rest, while he still can. As Low is very sure that the next few weeks everyone is going to see little of that. Lownote had been surprised that he had fallen asleep at all. But he was greatful for it, as he knows he's not getting anymore tonight.

" Your bleeding!" Essence sudden half shout half whisper she made when she had looked at him again, now that Lownote was a little in the light so that he could see how Quincy was doing, had said orange troll backing off from the jumpscare she gave him. And before he gets a chance to say something she had manged to take both of her hands on his face and made him lower his head so that she could take a good look at him. The sudden vertigo was far from pleasent and ikred him a bit, but he let that slide as his sister in-law looked at him with sharp eyes. Clearly not happy to see another memeber of her little family hurt. That was something that have become a scary thing when it comes to Essence. Ever since the day she and Quincy lost Cooper, the woman have become very protective of anyone she cares about. And few would want to irk that anger that will come out if someone so much as tried to hurt either her friends or family. That went dobbled for Darnell. And now that Lownote thought about it, with what they had learned today, Cooper is most likely getting 10 time worse once everything have calmed down a bit. Quincy was not that much better himself, but he has at least a better sense when he becomes a bit too protective. Most times anyways. Though Lownote have his doubts when Quincy gets to know just what he missed, he might be just as worse as his wife for a while.

" How did this happen?" The question that Essence ask while taking a tissue out from the table drawer birngs Lownote out of his wandering thoughts. Looking at her a bit confused for a brief moment he soon answer her. " Oh, its either Darnell's or Cooper's fault on that part. One of them kicked me in their sleep."

The slight frown that grace her face was all he got back as Essence begins to clean the blood was on his face. And from the way she dose it, Lownote is sure he'd gotten a nosebleed from the kick. Taking another tissue out when she's done so that Lownote had something to cover his nose to stop any further bleeding, the silent soon comes back as the two of them takes a seat at the bed where Quincy is on. Essence on the right, Lownote on the left. The silent lasted for quite a while, how long though Lownote was not sure but he knew that something needed to be said. * But just what?* Goes through his mind as he looks around the room. For a hospital room it was far from what he was used to see back home. When they had been taken to the room after Dr Brake was done checking on Quincy, they had been rather surprised just how friendly the room was. While it was white like all other rooms seen around all the tribes, the room was decorated with nice light blue curtains on the window that had a matching rug blue and some nice pictures framed around the place along with a bookcase that had a dozen or so books in it. With two chairs, a table with a drawer, a clay bolw shaped like a lilly and a light green small couch to the wall fartherest away from the bed Quincy was in and just beside said bookcase, it had a rather homey feel to it. There are also some potted plants hanging from the celling as well, though they are rather small they give a nice little touch to the place. According to Cooper, theres only a selected few rooms in the pod that had the rather more 'normal and boring look' that they are used to, they are rarely used here in the village simply because they only are usefull to them when a troll gets sense overload thanks too much parteis or other factors. And those rooms helps them calm down rahter quick and safe. Though it was not recommended to let a Pop troll be in a place like that for more than a week. Unless you wanted to see them go crazy that is. It had confused them all for quite a bit and even though Cooper got one of the nurses to help explain it better for them, Lownote had just put it up on his list of 'another thing to get used to'. And he dreaded when the other doctors back home would get to know about this bit.

At that thought and another one that soon came after, Lownote could not help the rather loud strangled sound he makes when he remembers one troll that is going to be a utter pain to deal with. And that was when said person was in a good mood. Essence looks up at him alarmed and worried when he made the sound. Though Lownote those not say anything at first as they both hear a sleepy "Whaa?" coming from the nest. Darnell had woken up but only for a brief moment as he soon fell asleep again when Cooper snuggled closer to him when he'd felt his twin move from him. Waiting for a good 10 minutes or so, Lownote lets out a breath he did not know he was holding in relief. When he looks at Essence he can't help the winch at the look she is giving him. Cleary not very happy with him.

" Sorry." He whisper to her.

" Whats was that for?" She whispers back, clearly very annoyed.

For a brief moment Lownote thought it would be good to lie. But the look on Essence told him it was better to just say the truth. " Whos is going to tell Zee?" At those words he might as well thrown a ball made out of shit at Essence face. Neither Essence nor Quincy gets along well with Zee very much, or never if one was being honest. However Zee is one of the head historians and Keeper of the Royal Records of Vibe City. And there is no way they could avoid telling any of this to them. At least not for long for Zee, but they always no matter how much they hated it would give their Queen and King a chance to prepare things before any talk with them started. As much as Zee seems to have a big problem with Essence and Quincy, they never ever let it get in the way of their job and duty. It was one of the few good things about them that Lownote liked. But other than that, Zee was a hard troll to talk to much less know. A nonsense kind of troll with a bad and rude attiude to anyone that somehow manged to land on the bad side with them, which happens like 99 out of 100 times, Zee could make stone cry from just the sarcasm alone that comes out of them when they talk to most trolls. Unless it was something about their job or there was something needed of them, Zee would talk to said person in a more professional and polite way. Lownote have had many a encounter with them and more than once Lownote have himself trying to not strangle the life out of the troll. Though Zee had been a better mood and more talketive lately as the months had gone by ever since the world tour happened. When Lownote had asked at the last time the two of them had meet, he'd gotten the following answer.

" I can finally find put my many theoriers to work now that we know that the Pop trolls are still alive! Not to mention I can put a end to all these old rumors and hypocrisy that have been in our history books for so long. Ohhh I just can't wait to meet one of the historians that looks after the Pop tribes history. I wounder if I should take one of my specially made tablets when I meet them? That way I might be able to record everything with little problem. And I'll need to ask Queen Essence and King Quincy if I can get a interview with Prince Cooper or Queen Poppy. You don't think they will oppose on that would they?" Lownote had honestly been too shocked to say anything back as Zee went on how happy they where about this. And before he'd gotten a chance to say something, Zee had already left to do whatever work they were doing while talking to themselves about more stuff they needed to prepare for when he meets a Pop troll. Or should Essence and Quincy agree to Zee having a little interview with their son or ask Queen Poppy if Zee could interview her.

It had been a big reminder for Lownote that Zee was obsessed with the Pop trolls of old, as well as their descendants should the Pop tribe still be alive, before the world tour happened. From what he had learned early on before he meet the troll, Zee have had this obsession since the day they started school and learned as a teen that noone really knew what happened to the Pop tribe after the Separation of the Strings. Zee had gone through every book, tablet, tomes, scrolls and other stuff that had any information on the Pop tribe that they had gotten from pretty much ever single tribe that Zee could possibly get. Then they've gone through rumors, slander, old wisetales, wild theoriers, old stories passed from tribe to tribe, tales from housewife and childeren passed down genertaions and then some to add it all to their thirst for knowledge on the matter, and to make some of the most accurate books and tablets about the Pop tribe to date and finding theories about them that had at least some lick of truth. And their work had been seen as the best source of info on this subject in everyones opinion no matter where one looked or tribe they were from. And now that the Pop tribe is back in business, Zee could not be happier that they could finally find out just what have been going on with the Pop tribe. For the historian, this was a moment that could only happen in a life time and they were set to not miss a thing about any history that they could get their hands on.

Letting out a sigh, Essence looks at her husband for a minute as she thinks on what Lownote had said. When she looks back at him again is all Lownote needs to know that she had no clue. And Lownote could not give her any blame on that.

" Well don't you guys just look peachy." A very familiar voice of a woman suddenly called to them and while it was rather low as to not wake up anyone that was sleeping, both Essence and Lownote found themselves jump a bit in their chairs from the little jumpscare they got from the sudden sound of said voice. Looking to the door, both wounder why none of them had heard it open for a brief moment, Lownote can't help the relief he feels when he sees whom was standing in the door way. Wearing a pair of glasses that was familiar shaped to his own, the lenses a bluebell blue and silver-framed, as well as wearing a cap similar to Cooper's with the only difference being that hers was coloured white with little golden stars on it and being a size too big sitting backwards on her head, stood the almost amethyst coloured Funk troll Fuchsia. Essence best friend for life and sister in anything but blood. Giving both of them a apologetic smile before she walks further in, Fuchsia's ruby coloured hair shines a bit in the little candle light from her right side where all her hair is. Standing at the end of the bed and looking at Quincy for a few minutes, neither Essence nor Lownote miss the uncomfortable grimack that comes on her face.

" What happened to him?" Is all Fuchsia asks as she looks at either of them, concern clear to see in her eyes. Taking that as a que, Lownote speaks up.

" Hey Ess? Why don't you and Fuchsia go for a little walk for a few?"

Looking at him for a bit, Essence seems to understand what her brother in-law was hinting at. Looking back and fort between her best friend and her husband she soon sigh after several seconds looking from one person to the next. Giving Lownote a smile that was both sad but appreciated, she stands up. And walks to Fuchsia, who is looking between the two of them with suspicion clear on her face.

" It sounds like a good idea Low. See you in a bit." Waving at the pair as they leave the room, Low finds the quiet a bit tense and choking. But it was not something new to him today so he ignors it instead as he stand up and walks to the window. Once the curtains are pulled a bit away, he sees the stars shining bright like always. It gives him some well needed peace. And thats where he stands untill Essence and Fuchsia returns after a good hour or two later. With the latter looking paler and sick but ready to do some backbreaking work, she looks at them both as she says. " So what do you guys need help with?"

" Giving her a smile Low says back. " I was hoping you could help us with that part."

" Game on." Sitting down on the couch the three of them starts their little meeting that goes well into the early morning. Hoping that they could come up with something to help Branch and his friends with the mess they are in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those that don't know, theres a country troll that share a lot of looks and colour that both Delta and Holly have. And from a friend that have a tumblr, they have been hc him as Holly's twin brother. I loved the concept and after rewatching the whole season he fits that role very well. So meet Oak Darlin', Holly's younger twin brother who works as a Sheriff along with Gust and a few other trolls in Country Corral.
> 
> Also for those that are confused, Moonshine is Delta's wife of almost 2 deaceds. She will be a part of the story in the later chapters to come, but not right now. And no she is not named after the drink that share the same name. Zee will also come as well in later chapters.
> 
> Will get to know Fuchsia more once we hit Essence cahpter. Stay toned.


	11. " History taught me that your my enemy. But then I learned that you where not." part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm three steps from tearing my hair out thanks to trying to write this without throwing my damn pc out of the window. At least the writer's block is almost gone, so it should get a little easier.
> 
> Anyways, onwards to Val and the bounty hunters. Enjoy everyone.
> 
> * for thought  
> " for speak  
> () this means Fuzzbert or a Fuzzling is talking  
> BIG words means either shouting or screaming  
> ~ means change of pov  
> ¨///// row of these means same pov, just at a diffrent time or place

Looking up at the stars and moon from the hot spring he's in, Synth was glad that the night sky and the hot water was willing to give him a little peace of mind. For as long as it will last that is. Trying not to sigh again from the stress and right out horror that he'd experience today he starts to slowly swim around the hot spring. Mind wandering to soo many places one would think that Synth would have crashed into the 'walls' of the hot spring more than a dozen times by now with the way he moves around in water. Mindless and without thought of where he is going. However, that was a bit of a specialty for Synth as both Trollex and Bliss could never understand how the youngest of them, was able to do it without getting killed from it in some way. Synth as no idea either as he never really thought about it much and he often found it a way to relax when things became to much. Though many trolls back in the Reef would say otherwise as they feared to loosing their 8th prince to said ability and talent he seems to have on it. A title Synth sometimes whised that he did not have. Oh he loves his family and he don't really mind being the youngest out of 8 sons and the 7 daughters that the former Queens of Techno Reef was able to get. And he loved every single of his older siblings to the very bone of his body. But when your the 8th prince and 15th child of the former Queens of Techno Reef, one becomes a bit of a ghost among the tribe even if one is of royal blood. He'd never really stand out much and while everyone in the Reef loved how much he liked to help people and was more intune with the everyday life of that most of the Techno trolls lives in, unlike most of his siblings who seems to have at times problems to understand that, Synth could not help but feel out of place and worthless among his family more then once. Aside from Trollex and Bliss Marina who both never made him feel worthless or that his focus problems was something to be ashamed of, most of Trollex older siblings have been worried about him being the ambassador for the Techno tribe when Queen Poppy had send the letter that would change his life forever. As well as give him new friends that seems to really make him feel home here in the Pop Forest and teach him things he did not know. Not to mention that the place seems to have giving him a purpose he did not know he was missing.

At that thought, Synth feels pride as he remember how great Techno Lagoon have become these months. Not only thanks to the hard work he had put in himself as well as strain what little leadership skills he has, but also for the help that Laguna, some of his other friends that had been willing to come along and the other Techno trolls have put in as well to make the place not only a home that they all love to live in. But also a place that brings anyone pride and joy when other Techno trolls from the homeland would come for a visit and see just how great their loved ones have it here. Of course many was still homesick as this was a huge change for everyone and some was still trying to warp their heads with all that have happened in less than half a year ago. One that Synth is also still trying to understand as well despite the fact that he had adapted well these last few months. Laguna on the other hand had taken it all in stride and for the better or worse have all ready moved on from that stage. Something that Synth envyed her for, but he was not going to let that ruin any of the friendship he has with her. Beside, Synth is very glad that she have moved on so quick as she did, as it seems to have woken something up that she as well have been missing. Synth can remember more times than he wants to when he would visit her and see her reading a book she'd read for like a million times before, bored out of her mind and desperate for just something new to read or to discover something new that would not get her in trouble with the law. Which have almost happened a few time, but Synth was not gonna let anyone know that. Especially when it came to Val and her band as he feared what they will try to do if they knew about this. Something Laguna did not want to happen either as she keeps it a well gaured secret from everyone that are not in her little circle of friends.

Other than that though it seems Laguna wants to make her friend circle a little bigger. Mainly she wants Branch, Smidge and Haper to be her new friends as she finds them to be a safe choice but also she finds that she has a lot in commen with them. It had confused Synth at first as to why she wanted those three, not that he means to mean, as he also found them rather fun and interesting people to be with even if he sometimes feels a little lost when he is with them. That went almost triple for Branch as not only did the somewhat light blue troll, even though Branch's skin colour had a more greyish tone of colour than whatever type of light blue it was suppose to be, know a lot of different topics and subjects that varied from the forest and its many dangers to simple crafts like woodwork crafts and resin crafts. Hell, Branch have even offered both Synth and Laguna a few lessons in some of the many crafts the troll knew. And neither Synth nor Laguna had said no to that as they both needed some new to past the time since not all of their old routines back home would work back in Techno Lagoon. But just what they would liked to learn had been a pain to choice for all he'd cared. In the end though Synth had choicen to learn a simple small craft that involved a arange of different homemade decorations Synth found to be very fun and had become a new hobby of his that he'd loved. Which showed as he'd taken some of what he'd made and given them to his family members when he'd gone to visit Techno Reef last week. His siblings had been confused at first at what he'd given them, but soon enough they all found their gifts a very pleasent suprise to have in their homes. Laguna on the other hand had choicen of all things bathbombs, soaps and scented candle crafts. Which had confused him in a way he'd not felt for a long time, but Laguna refused to tell him why she'd wanted to learn that stuff. Saying it was for her more 'womanely needs', whatever that ment.

Shaking his head in both humor and annoyens at that though on how the rest of that conversation went afterwards that had somehow ended with a food fight that many had wanted to be a part of, Synth can't help the small smile that grace his face. But its sort lived as said thought brings him back to Branch, and the things that the survivalist went through. Not to mention what all of the Pop trolls went through for untold generations. Shame once again came and smacked him in the face as the young Techno troll remembers all the stroies that have been told ever since Techno Reef came to be, about the life on the surface. As well as the other tribes and their respected String. Now to be honest and in his defence, not only had the stories of the Pop tribe been wastly overrated and underrated, not to mention being for the most part false as 'hens teeths' that Gust had once said to something that another Pop troll had asked about when it came to Country trolls. But all the other tribes had more or less gotten the same treatment as well when it came to stories about them as well. Though only to a somewhat lesser degree as some would like to argue. Either way it was safe to say that everyone in Techno tribe had gotten a big wake up call worth more than a few lifetimes when Barb had come for her rather destructive visit. And quite frankly, Synth had foolishly thought that it was all the life worth shock he'd would get after the tour was over and things became good again, even though it was still weird to think that the Strings no longer exsist. But that was a thought for another day and night, as of right now Synth did not really have the time to think of it. Nor was it as importent as it had been before.

" So this is were you were Synth." The ever familiar voice of his big bro Trollex suddenly came out of no were, making the dark purple-skinned troll jump high into the air with a scream from the shock and the small heart attack he'd gotten, and processed to land face first into the somewhat muddy ground as he'd manged to forget that he could float thanks to the shocked surprised. Letting out a few choicen words and grumbles that would have given him a earfull from his mothers, Synth manged to thank Trollex as the King Of Techno helps him up from the ground and gives him something to hold on to as his head and face begins to complain about the hard impact that just happened. And once Synth felt that his eyes would not pop out of his head when he opened them, he could not help but be surprise at seeing Laguna here. Looking at him worried and no doubt she's the one that had led Trollex here. 

" You okay there lil'bro?" The look of concern as well as apologetic smile that Trollex gives him makes it hard for Synth to be mad at his brother as he knows well that Trollex don't jump scare people on purpose, which made it even more effective when the King manged to scare someone out of their skin by accident.

" 'm ok'ay." His speech was a little slurred and pained, but at least he'd not broken his jaw like last time he went face kissing the ground.

Quickly Laguna comes over with a napkin for him that she had pulled out from no were and began to clean up the blood on his face. Most likely from stinging wound that had been made thanks to the single sharp rock that had been close to his face when he landed. But as she those so Synth notice the tear marks on her face and that her eyes was just a little more red than they should be.

" Are you okay?" He asks his friend, which seems makes Laguna look at him annoyed and new tears begins to start again as she suddenly half yells at him.

" Am I okay?! What the fuck about you?! Do you have any idea how worried we where?? Do you have any idea how long we looked for you when you where not at the other hot springs near the village???" She fires at him, barely being able to restain herself from yelling louder at him and clearly very mad at him. Even though she is also worried about him as well. Synth however has zero change to say something back as she starts to shake him for each word that comes out of her mouth for a good 5 minutes before she stops so that she can breath again from her sudden aggresion and outburst. Looking at his big brother for help, Synth can see that Trollex is not that much better. Though there where no anger in the dark blue skinned troll, theres still worry, relief, annoyens and a tiredness Synth had not seen in years.

Seeming to read his little brother's mind on what the hell is going on, Trollex soon answers him. " You've been gone for almost 10 hours Synth. We could not find you anywhere near Techno Lagoon nor in some of the few spots that you use to calm youself. Or the springs for that matter. We even had to call Poppy for help to search a bigger area to find you." As if on cue, one of the many Pop trolls thats part of the nightwatch guard comes out from one of the bushes holding a first aid kit in one of their arms. As soon as the troll comes near him, Synth can't help but back a bit away from them. Which seems to take Laguna by surprise and confuse her as she knows Synth never reacts to someone like that as far as she knows. The guard however just give Synth a understanding smile and walks instead to Trollex, giving the troll King the first aid kit.

" Me and the others are waiting behind the bushes and up in the trees your Highness. Yell when everyone is ready okay?" When the guard gets a nod back the troll swing their hair to the nearsest branch and flys up. Leaving the three of them alone and give them much needed privacy. The silent that comes however last only a few seconds before Trollex lets a sigh escape him.

" Alright. Lets get you fixed and then back home shall we? And Laguna, please wait with any further questions till we get back."

The look that falls on her face told the two men just what she thought about that, as she hated to be left in the dark about things that have clearly hurt Synth, but she just nods back at Trollex. And that what happens for a while, as Trollex cleans any wounds Synth had gotten, silent comes down that was both a relief but also unwelcomed. But Synth dosen't care about that as he looks back at Laguna.

" Sorry."

Letting out a sigh the purple skinned troll looks at him as well. " I know. Just." After a short pause as Laguna tries to clam herself a bit more, she speaks again. " Just try not do that again. Okay?"

"Sure. I'll try."

" Good."

The silent falls again and when Trollex is done, he calls for the guards whom all dozen or so comes out and begins to escort them back to Techno Laggon. All of them keeps a soild good and comfortable distance from the three of them without lossing sight of the three Techno trolls. They all clearly knows whats going on and don't want to make anyone feeling uncomforable. Which Synth just fine with as he is unsure how he would react to any Pop troll right now if they came anywhere near him. Laguna on the other hand looks more and more confused as time pass, and as they near the lake where Techno Lagoon lays in, Synth can see a deshelved Poppy in her nightgown standing there trying to clam Bliss as the pink Techno troll is far from happy as she was having a temper tantrum at the young Pop Queen. Asking in a almost banshee like voice why Synth was not back yet, and where Trollex and Laguna was as well. Though Bliss seems to stop as soon as she see the three of them, and right out shoot herself into Synth's arms once she's sure that its him she sees. The sobs of relief she makes as she hugs him tight, makes Synth feel even more bad for how long he'd been gone. Bliss never liked it when any of her siblings, no matter if they where older than her or not, takes off to somewhere without telling where they are going and dosen't come back for after 4 hours have gone by.

Poppy just looks at the two of them with tired but happy eyes and smile. Though she dose not say a word to him, she give him a nod before she rounds up her people and says a few words to Trollex before they all leave. With somewhat mixed feelings Synth followes his siblings and Laguna back into the lake, and to his house. And all way, his mind seems to have finally find a plan out of nowhere, but he refuse to say anything as they all just wants to go to sleep. Which is what he is going to do as soon as Bliss would stops hugging him so hard, his rips are screaming.


	12. " History taught me that your my enemy. But then I learned that you where not." part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know when I first started this story, I thought I'd get just a little over a 100 people reading it. Did not even think about kudos, and I was fine with that. But wow. Over 1000 hits? And almost 50 kudos in 4 months, more or less? I'm really blow away and very honored that there are so many that like my little Au and what I write. So I want to do something speacial for you guys. Theres this one chapter that I want to write in this story, but it dose not fit in at all no matter how much I try to. So now, I'm making it into a little one shot that is coming some days after this chapter is posted as part of the story. I hope you'all will enjoy it.
> 
> Anyways, on to story. Hope you'all enjoy. Sorry if it is short, I don't have a lot of time on my hands at the moment.
> 
> Song used is Hard Rock Halleujah by Lordi.
> 
> * for thought  
> " for speak  
> () this means Fuzzbert or a Fuzzling is talking  
> BIG words means either shouting or screaming  
> ~ means change of pov  
> ¨///// row of these means same pov, just at a diffrent time or place

To say that Val was done with this several days worth of shitballing that have pissed on her with acid, was in her mind a lesser understatement. To put it mildly. There have never been before today where she did not feel that she could take whatever new hell the next day would like to give her. It comes with living in Volcano Rock City and growing up with a helluva experience that would in more cases then not, ends with someone almost lossing their life a few times before one learns all the ropes that one needs to know when you live beside a active volcano in your homeland. Infact, she a pretty tough woman and for the most part she can handle most things just fine. But if someone told her a couple of years ago that she would get to not only see the Strings destroyed, but also get to know just what the actual fucking, balls high, shit ridden truth as to what really happened to the Pop tribe all those years ago? She'd thrown them into a lavapool at the worse or right out beat them black and blue at the best, because she would have back then find it a utter ridiculous thought to have. Let alone someone willing to think and say stuff like that. But as her dad once told her" Life and Fate are cruel mistresses and would love nothing more to mess with you as much as they can. Never forget that my little thunder cloud." And by any holy and unholy thing help her, this was proven to be the worse of the worse if Val have anything to say about it.

Trying not to scream again from rage, frustation and worry as she once again finds a room empty of a certian Queen, Val tries to think of where to look next. The entire Rock Hallow are in a mad panic trying to find Queen Barb as when Carol had gone to see how Barb was doing as it had been oddly quiet for almos 3 hours in the bed room that Barb was useing, which was highly unusual as far as anyone was concerned as Barb is well know to be able to destroy a couple of houses all by herself with little problem given enough time. And not so quietly as well as one can hear it for miles in every direction. Though it all depented on just how royally pissed off said Queen is at the time. So when Carol had come screaming down the stairs that their Queen was missing, well safe to say panic had come pretty darn quick when they did not find her after a hour later. Riff had gone over to west wing in Rock Hollow where all their critter bikes was, well temporary anyways as the place they where supposed to be at had burned down thanks some trolling's stupid prank gone wrong. Sid had taken the east wing of Rock Hallow to look there where there was plenty of things to destroy. Carol was currently with her as Val needed all the help she could get in keeping the rest of the Rock trolls clam enough that noone dose something really really stupid thanks to the panic everyone is feeling. That said, Val had send Blaze to the south as her older borther knew the place well and whom had already sent some people ahead to look for Barb over there before Val have had the chance to ask him if he could help with that, so hopefully he'd gotten something by now. Hopefully.

Letting out a sigh and fighting the urge to either destroy something or just lay herself on the ground and scream to the high heavens and back from sheer rage and frustration, Val manged to somehow not lose what little patience she has left as she and Carol manged to finally get most things back in order after a soild 2 hours later. And boy was she tired and far from a good mood, which really was not new in its on way as any Rock troll worth their salt had at least something go wrong at least once every week. But Val is betting everything she owns that when the rest of her tribe gets to now what she learned days ago, they are going to be in just as a foul mood as she is. Not to mention being beyond horrified and guilt ridden like nothing before when it hits them why the Pop tribe had for the most part no hard feelings with them despite almost wreaking their home beyond repair. Not to mention with how they were treated back in Volcano Rock City after their capture, which now that Val thinks about was not only bad in of it itself, as not only had they isolated the Pop tribe from the other captured tribes to avoid any form of banning together, but when they had tried to separate any of the Pop trollings, said tribe had reacted in such a bad way to it that not a single Rock troll had the willpower nor the heart to keep the trollings away from the tribe for very long unless the trollings was seeing a doctor for a quick check up. Val had never before felt so bad before when she'd tried to take a little boy from his grandmas and seen just those heartbroken, puppyed, tear ridden faces on all three of them that had this look of fear and expectation that they where just waiting for her to do something unimaginable cruel to the kid. She had quickly noped out after that among the many others that had gotten the same looks or something far worse, and just helped with other stuff instead. Though not before she went to her dad to calm down from the unease she had felt from those looks.

As Val finds a seat to take a small break as she and Carol waits for any news from the others at the table that had said seats, the reminder of those three trolls sends once again guilt ridden rocks in her stomach as she knows why they had looked at her like that. And it made her sick to the very core of her being. She's still not sure how she and Demo had manged to get back to Rock Hallow without getting into another rage fit on the way back home, and then see not only her bandmates but also Blaze waiting for them near Demo's house. At seeing her older brother, Val did something she have not done since the day her, Blaze and their father was at her mothers funeral when she was just 10 years old. She cried her eyes out. It had caused a shocked panic among her bandmates as they had never seen her like that before, but Blaze had just gone into full big bro protective mood and took her back to his place so that she could cry out in peace. For Rock trolls, things like these are very private affairs that only family members and very close friends was allowed to see and help with unless they needed more professional help at a later date or much sooner. And if any other Rock trolls saw them on their way to Blaze house, they have all most likely taken a oath of silent and pretend that they had seen nothing. It was not seen in their cultur as a weakness to cry, but every single Rock troll hates seeing people they don't know see them look like that out in the public, with the exception of funerals, certain holidays and if your a trolling no older than 12, most preferred to cry back home when things became too much and you had no other way to express yourself. Blaze had most likely been utter confused why Val was crying and very worried, but like the awesome brother he is, even though they have their fair fights and annoy each other to no end, he'd had not asked a thing untill Val felt ready and just made sure that she was well cared for untill she felt like herself again. As well as protected in the night as Val still have the damn nightmares coming to her every night. A pain she and Blaze now share.

Though before Blaze had gotten to know why Val had been crying and seems to be utter horrifid of something, Val had gone and asked Miss Elma, Poppy and Peppy to be allowed to let Blaze know what was going on. She felt that it was not within her own rights to tell something like this without the ones Branch trusted the most have given their permission to allow Val tell her own brother about this. Not to metnion she felt that she would loss some respect with said grouch when he got to know about once he is back to normal again. Demo had done the same for her bandmates as they will be needed to keep everthing in order and help get the necessary stuff that was also needed. Even though they had 7-8 days on them, it had been on the hair to get everthing done as they all had other duties to do as well. Shaking her head at that though, Val was just gald that it was over, but she knew that now she as several new brick walls that had come and blocked her way. They have no doubt been reinforced with steel beams or sheets on them. One of them being finding their missing Queen.

Slaming her head hard on the table that a decent sized crack showed, Val tries to get her own damn head into gear. As well as tries to avoid thinking of anymore of that as it was not the time to think of it. Though she those not get far in that though as she soons feels a metal can roll into her head. Looking up to see the offending object, it is to her surpries a premium of Lux's Cheese Spray Can. She'd tried to get some to be delivered to Rock Hallow with no success as the supplies was rather limited at the moment, so seeing it here was a unexpected shock. Looking at Carol, the rather lazy troll was giving her a small smile that help Val feel a little better. Pointing with a can in her own hand that was also a premium Lux, the muddy blue troll said " Go ahead mate. You need it." Nodding her head in thanks and one quick shake later, Val can feel the cheesey goodness help calm her fried nevers to a more bearable level. Not to mention, it seems her stomach was agreeing as well, which was good as Val is having a hard time eating nowadays.

The silent that was around the two of them was there for quite some time and not really all that pleasent, but it all ended when suddenly music began to play, startling both of them enough that they jumped out of their chairs from the shock. The familiar sounds of her father palying the keybord to one of the best hits her dads band made back in their prime playing at full blast.

Hard rock hallelujah  
Hard rock hallelujah  
Hard rock hallelujah  
Hard rock hallelujah

It takse Val a few, long enough that the guitar and drum part play through and the next vers began, before Val realize that it is the special phone thats ringing in her pocket thats playing the song.

The saints are crippled  
On this sinners' night  
Lost are the lambs with no guiding light  
The walls come down like thunder  
The rock's about to roll  
It's the arockalypse  
Now bare your soul

All we need is light-'click' " WHAT IS IT?!?" Val screams into the the phone once she found it and answers the call. And having put it on speaker so that Carol could hear as well, the voice that came out made Val feel bad as she had clearly scared her caller bad.

" Va-va-va-Val? Are you okay?" Holly's voice was tired, despite the clear fear in her voice from the sudden scream that had come through her end of the call. Letting out a sigh to calm down a bit before she answers her fellow ambassador, Val soon answers the Country troll.

" Sorry Holly. Just on edge."

" Ha. Is it because Miss Barb?"

The two Rock trolls look at the phone for a minute before looking at each other. Carol is the one that speaks up once Holly asks if anyone is still on the phone.

"How the hell did you guess that?"

" Oh thats because she's here at my house." Holly answers quickly, and not expecting it, most likely dropped the phone when both Val and Carol scream " WHAT?!?" at their loudest, scaring the poor girl once again.

" Why is she there???" Val asks once she sure Holly had picked up the phone. Both of the Rock trolls are very confused as to why their Queen was so far away from Rock Hallow.

" Well." Holly starts, slight rustling can be heard from the phone as Holly does something while speaking to them. " It goes a little like this. Or so I think at least"


End file.
